


Tainted Red

by Aki (Akiko_Natsuko)



Series: Tainted Red [2]
Category: K (Anime)
Genre: Betrayal, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Brainwashing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Friendship/Love, Gen, Healing, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Kidnapping, M/M, Manipulation, Multi, Nightmares, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Serious Injuries, Team as Family, Torture, Trauma, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-08-20 09:55:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 196,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16553585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Aki
Summary: Sequel to 'Aegis of the Crow'. Following the events at the Mihashira Tower, Misaki is finally on the mend from his injuries, but the cogs of JUNGLE's new game are beginning to turn. Soon HOMRA's vanguard will find himself in the center of the chaos engulfing the clans, and his loyalty and strength will be pushed to the limits.





	1. Chapter 1

   Fushimi sighed as he finally admitted defeat, closing the file that he had been trying to work through for the last couple of hours. Normally he could focus on his work regardless of whatever else was going on his life, more often than not it helped him to push aside things that he didn’t want to think about. It was why he had buried himself in work the first few months after he’d joined Scepter 4, trying not to contemplate what his ‘betrayal’ had done to his relationship with Misaki, not that he had ever allowed the vanguard to see how much it had bothered him. Now, however, he found it impossible to quiet his thoughts enough to focus for more than a few minutes at a time, the memories of the incident at the tower and his bone-deep fear that they might still lose Misaki forcing themselves to the forefront of his mind.

“You’ve made me go soft,” he muttered without even a trace of heat, slipping the file away beneath his seat and hoping that Awashima wouldn’t ream him out for not managing to finish it, although she had been strangely considerate of him recently. Frowning slightly, he finally lifted his head, allowing his gaze to drift to the still form on the bed, and disappointment flooded him as it did every time he spoke to Misaki, and there was no response. Although at least now he could at least attempt to reassure himself with the fact that the vanguard was finally beginning to regain some healthy colour in his cheeks, as opposed to the terrifying paleness or the flush of fever that had been prevalent for the past week. “Misaki…” He whispered as he reached out to grasp Yata’s hand, gently curling his fingers around it and wishing that the other could return the gesture.

    It was a miracle that the vanguard was still with them; something that the doctors commented on frequently no matter how often Fushimi and Anna both asked them to stop. They didn’t need the reminder of how close they had come to losing Misaki, or how often. The wound on its own had been serious, and he’d lost a fair bit of blood during the time it had taken them to get him to the hospital. But the surgery had seemed successful, and they had naively thought that would be it and so while reluctant they had allowed themselves to be chased out after visiting Misak that first night with the promise of longer visiting hours the next day.

    Unfortunately, the Misaki’s bad luck had continued, and he’d taken a turn for the worse overnight as he developed a pneumothorax although originally it was hoped that it would just need monitoring. However, the next morning during Fushimi’s visit Misaki’s breathing had worsened, and his blood pressure had dropped, and the Blue had been forced from the room, watching fearfully through the doors as the Doctors worked to stabilise him, eventually succeeding in inserting a chest tube to start clearing the air. The sight of that tube had been enough to push Fushimi over the edge, especially with the news that if his condition worsened they would have to intervene with surgery which carried even more risks at this time and he had fled the hospital for a short period of time as soon as the Reds had arrived.

    Thankfully Yata had stabilised without needing surgery, and no one had mentioned Fushimi’s unexpected departure when he arrived back that afternoon, although Anna had made sure to wait long enough to explain everything to him as she knew that he wouldn’t appreciate hearing it from one of the others. And so an odd peace had settled over them, taking turns to watch over the vanguard, although after that point Fushimi rarely left unless forced and despite the odd snide comment, the HOMRA members didn’t argue against Anna’s declaration that he could stay with Misaki as often as he wanted.

    Of course, Misaki wasn’t going to make it that easy for them, and three days after the first scare he had taken a turn for the worse, developing an infection in the wound. In a way that had been the hardest thing to witness, watching as he struggled to fight it off, his temperature rising and falling too sharply for them to predict and more than once they were warned to prepare for the worst. Yet, whenever the predictions became that dire the vanguard seemed to tap into fresh reservoirs of strength, often pulling through only by the skin of his teeth but clinging tenaciously to life much to the Doctor’s surprise.

    It had only been a couple of days ago that the Doctors had finally announced that the infection was clearing up and that barring any serious complications Yata was finally on the mend. The mood that day had been celebratory, although it dimmed slightly when there was no sign of the vanguard waking up. And while they had clung to that sense of optimism, it continued to dim the longer Yata remained unconscious, and several people including Kamamoto had started to visit less often as the sight of Misaki lying there so still, and silent haunted them. Fushimi hated the sight just as much, but he feared something happening while he was gone too much to venture far from Misaki’s side, at least until he had woken up at least once.

“You don’t get to die on me,” he ordered sternly, staring at Misaki’s face and willing him to open his eyes even for just a moment just to reassure him that he could hear his words. However, the vanguard remained stubbornly still, and he sighed in disappointment before leaning back in the seat although he retained his grip on the other’s hand.

_Seriously Misaki, don’t you dare leave me behind._

*

“Saruhiko,” Fushimi jolted at Anna’s soft voice, turning around and hastily letting go of Misaki’s hand as he spotted Kusanagi standing just beyond her. He might be willing to be more open around her, and he didn’t bother even attempting to mask his concern around any of the HOMRA lot anymore, but there was no way he was going to sit there doing something as emotionally open as that with Kusanagi watching his every movement. While the second-in-command had been more accepting of his presence than the other HOMRA members that had visited, probably because he had been there in the tower, it was clear that he didn’t fully trust Fushimi around Yata.

    Anna frowned at the reaction but didn’t comment much to Fushimi’s relief, quietly moving around to the other side of the bed and reaching out to grasp Yata’s other hand, and the Blue felt his lips twitch as he realised that Misaki’s hand wasn’t that much bigger than hers. _I’ll have to tease him about that later._

“Hello Misaki,” She greeted softly leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to the vanguard’s cheek, before settling down beside him on the edge of the bed, allowing her aura to play around them as she did every time she visited. When asked she said that she wanted to make sure that Yata knew that she was there, and it also allowed her to get a stronger feel for how he was doing. However, Fushimi personally thought it was her way of trying to protect him, to make amends for the fact that Misaki had been injured for her sake.

“You look exhausted,” Kusanagi commented quietly as he came up alongside the Blue, and Fushimi was somewhat startled to see genuine concern in the shaded eyes, and he shifted uneasily, unsure of what to make of the odd look. “Why don’t you go and at least grab something to eat.”

“Why do you care?” Fushimi asked more sharply than he intended, falling back into defensive mannerisms in the face of the other’s concern.

“Because Yata cares,” Kusanagi replied with a small shrug, knowing better than to take offence at the prickly response as he’d long since cottoned onto the fact that it rarely mirrored what Fushimi was really thinking or feeling. Fushimi deflated at the simple answer, his expression softening as his gaze flickered back to Yata. _Yeah, but why does he still care after everything that has happened? Everything I’ve said and done._ Suddenly the idea of taking a break seemed like a very good idea, and he hastily turned and headed for the door.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” he called over his shoulder before disappearing out of the room, not wanting to give them the chance to reply even though he could practically feel Anna’s eyes burning a hole into his shoulders, and he let out a soft sigh of relief as the door closed behind him.

“I don’t think he’s ready to hear that,” Anna scolded as she glanced up at Kusanagi who rubbed his head sheepishly before shrugging, heading for the chair that Fushimi had just vacated, knowing that it wouldn’t take the Blue long to get over his embarrassment and return to watch over Yata.

“Maybe not,” he admitted as he sank into the seat, reaching out to take Yata’s hand before inclining his head towards the unconscious vanguard, a terse smile playing around his lips as he added softly. “But I think Yata-chan needs him to hear it even if he won’t admit it…”

*

    Yata felt as though he had been trapped in the quagmire of shadows for weeks. Occasionally he had caught vague impressions of the outside world - flashes of pain and remembered fear, a sudden lack of air and soft voices that he recognised but couldn’t put a name or face to, only knowing that he didn’t like hearing them sound so worried and upset. Several times he had tried to reach out to them through the shadows, wanting to let them know that he was there and that he was trying to come back but he didn’t know how. His red hadn’t worked, it could barely even drive the shadows a few feet away from him at a time at the moment. But both his body and voice were sealed off from him, and even that simple effort exhausted him, and each time he found himself sinking back even further into the shadows.

    However, it seemed to him as if the seemingly never-ending darkness was finally beginning to lesson, the shadows growing fainter and less distinct in front of him, and hope blossomed in his chest as he pushed forwards allowing his aura out to play around his skin in the hopes of speeding up his progress.

_Wait for me, I’m coming._

****

The next day:

    Fushimi felt as though he was somewhat intruding as he watched Anna sitting on the edge of Misaki’s bed, slender fingers combing through bed-mussed chestnut hair, her crimson eyes solemn and intent as she hummed softly to the unconscious vanguard. He had tried to leave when she came in, surprised that she was on her own for once and guessing that she would want to be on her own with Misaki, but she had immediately reached and stopped him. Privately he was relieved that he hadn’t had to leave, as after the events of the first week he got nervous whenever he was away from Misaki’s side, and he was certain that he wouldn’t have been able to bring himself to go further than the corridor anyway. What had surprised him though was that for once she was on her own, as so far, they had been unwilling to trust him on his own with her, even though she could probably take him down on her own now.

“He’s fighting to come back to us,” Anna’s soft voice sounded unaccountably loud in the hospital room, and Fushimi jumped slightly before turning to meet her gaze. There was no hint of doubt in her expression, and there was a spark in her even gaze that had been missing for far too long, and despite himself, he found himself desperately wanting to believe her words.

“You can tell?”

“His red’s getting brighter,” she replied with a warm smile, but there was a note of hesitation in her voice this time, and he could see that she was watching his response intently and he frowned and glanced aside. While it was true that he still wasn’t overly fond of red, and he certainly wasn’t comfortable around the rest of HOMRA, he had lost his bitter hatred for their red. Besides as Misaki had so accurately pointed out, he had never had a problem with her, and that hadn’t changed even now that she was the Red King.

“Good,” he replied simply after a moment, and her lips curved up into a small but sweet smile, and he felt himself relaxing slightly at the sight of it. Realising to his irritation that he was relieved that he had managed to say the right thing for once. And of course, Misaki wasn’t awake to witness it, although maybe that was a good thing as it was something the vanguard would latch onto and pester him about endlessly. Rolling his eyes, he watched Anna fussing over Misaki for another few minutes before leaning forward slightly. “Has there been any movement from Jungle?” He asked cautiously, wary of bringing down the mood, but he knew that he was fairly out of the loop at the moment.

    Anna scowled at the question, her fingers tightening briefly in Yata’s hair before her expression smoothed out as she whispered an apology to him, before turning her attention back to Fushimi who drew back at the anger glistening in her gaze even though he sensed that it wasn’t actually aimed at him.

“There’s not been a lot,” she replied quietly, and he blinked in surprise at that news, he had been certain that such a large-scale attack would herald the Green Clan stepping fully into the limelight for the first time in years. _So, what are you really up to? What were you really after in the Tower?_    “A few random attacks against us and Scepter 4, it looks like they were trying to cause us to fight one another...” Fushimi scowled at that news -diversionary tactics. However, he could vaguely recall Awashima mentioning that the Blues had been ordered to avoid conflict with HOMRA for the time being, but he hadn’t really been paying attention at the time as Misaki had taken a turn for the worse that afternoon and he cursed himself for not following up on it.

“What about the Silvers?” He asked with a frown, Kuroh and Neko had both been by several times to visit the vanguard, clearly feeling guilty that he had been forced to protect them and he knew that the Black Dog at least was actively searching for Yukari. As much as he could understand the Silver wanting to settle things between them, he personally hoped that he would get to the Green first, although he knew that many in HOMRA felt the same after seeing what had been done to their beloved vanguard.

“They’ve been targeted more often,” Anna said seriously, and he could feel the temperature rising along with the ire in her voice, and he swallowed hard -he had forgotten that she was oddly close to the Silver Strain. Thankfully though she realised what was happening and reigned in her leaking power, sighing before admitting anxiously.  “But it’s not the level we were expecting, it’s almost as though they are waiting for something.”

“The Silver King, or…” He trailed off as he recalled how Yukari had looked at Misaki back then, but why? Why go for a lowly clansman, even if he was the third in command? The crow was a good fighter when he was level-headed even Fushimi could admit that, but he wasn’t anywhere near Yukari’s level, and it would take time and practice for him to get to that point.

“Misaki,” Anna finished with a grim nod.

“You saw how he looked at him as well?” Fushimi couldn’t quite keep the surprise out of his voice, he’d thought that everyone else was too distracted by what the Green King had said and the conversation between Kuroh and Yukari to notice, but it was also a relief to know that he wasn’t just worrying about nothing.

“Yes,” Anna paused as she glanced down at Misaki, and her eyes darkened as she added. “And the points on Misaki’s bounty have changed as well. He’s now worth less than anyone else, which suggests that someone is trying to stop him from being a target without removing the bounty completely.” She wasn’t looking forward to telling Yata about that, as he hadn’t reacted well to the news that he was worth less than Fushimi, although part of that had been the way Izumo had told him, and she was tempted to make the older man deal with this as well as punishment for teasing Yata back then.

“Yukari Mishakuji,” Fushimi growled darkly, he knew enough about how JUNGLE operated to know that such a change to Misaki’s bounty could only have come from the King or a high-ranking clansman and Nagare hadn’t seemed overly interested in Yata. The swordsman on the other hand…

_I won’t let you have him._

“Misaki shone too brightly,” Anna said softly.

“Idiot,” Fushimi grumbled under his breath, but he couldn’t dispute her words. Misaki had always shone brightest when they were fighting, it was why he had always taken such pleasure in riling the other man and starting fights because he wanted to see that Misaki. It made looking at the still form on the bed that much harder, as that wasn’t his Misaki.  “That means that they have to be keeping an eye on what is happening here,” he added with narrowed eyes, while he had been aware that the hospital wasn’t the safest location, he had been comfortable to leave it at that if they weren't deliberately targeted.

“We’ve got people watching the hospital, and they haven’t seen anything,” Anna replied with a hint of frustration, it didn’t help that many of her clansmen were champing at the bit, wanting to take on Jungle for kidnapping her and hurting Yata and she had hoped that guarding the hospital would help them calm down somewhat. “Reisi has people stationed here as well.” Fushimi choked at this, both at the news that Scepter 4 were guarding the hospital without him being aware of that fact and the fact that Anna had referred to the Blue King so informally. Even Mikoto had never done that, and he hoped that he was around to see his King’s expression if and when she addressed him like that to his face.

     However, as he sobered he focused on her words and he scowled, there had to be some way that the Greens were monitoring on what was going on. Suddenly his eyes widened, and his hand slipped down to the PDA in his pocket, as his mind flashed back to the file that Awashima had given him on the Green clan. At the time he had only briefly scanned it, and he clicked his tongue at his own stupidity for brushing aside that information as he turned his attention back to Anna.

“What about the computers?”

“Computers? Oh,” Crimson eyes widened in realisation, and he sighed as he pulled out his PDA, glancing briefly at the screen and noting the numerous messages from Scepter 4 with a scowl before he got to his feet, fingers tightening around the device.

“I’ll see what I can find,” he explained before heading for the door, hesitating briefly as he glanced back at Misaki and nodding when Anna glanced reassuringly at him. It didn’t make it any easier to leave the vanguard, but at least he had something useful to do, something that would hopefully keep Misaki safer even just for a little while.

*

    It hadn’t taken long for him to hack into the hospital records and he wanted to roll his eyes at how poor the security was, making a mental note to bring that up with the Captain at a later date when things were less crazy. It was difficult not to focus on the contents of the file, his eyes narrowing as he caught all the finer medical details that he had missed before he dragged his attention away, quickly picking up on the evidence that someone else had been there before him and his eyes narrowed. There was nothing that he could find to indicate a location or identity for the hacker, not that he really needed it, because who else would be trying to spy on Misaki?

“Someone has been in Misaki’s medical files,” he announced as he stormed back into Misaki’s room half-an-hour later waving his PDA at Anna, who had tensed at his abrupt entrance, and her expression turned stormy as his words registered. “They’ve only been looking at it, but I can’t trace the hacker which suggests that it is JUNGLE, their security is ridiculous.” He gritted his teeth at that admission, determined to find a way around that when he had full access to the Blue’s network again. No matter how good they were, there was no way they were going to beat him.

“So there’s no way we can lock them out?”

“Not at the moment,” He admitted reluctantly, and her expression fell before she turned back to Misaki with a worried expression. With no attacks against him or the hospital, and the limited attacks against HOMRA, in general, she had allowed herself to believe that he was safe and that they were doing him enough to protect him until he could come back to them.

“But…”

“I’ll speak to the doctors and try to get them to keep any further records on paper,” He said with a sigh, although he doubted that they would agree – maybe if he appealed to Munakata, he could have it issued as a direct order. That would mean admitting the full extent of his involvement though, and he’d already had to deal with the Reds being unhappy about the power he had at the hospital, however, as his gaze drifted to Misaki he sighed already knowing he would do whatever was needed. Not that it would ultimately make a difference as JUNGLE was nothing if not adaptable. “But I suspect that they will just resort to other methods of spying on us if we do that.”

“They won’t find it that easy!” Anna vowed fiercely, and despite the situation, he felt his lips twitch up at the passion in her voice, but his own nod in response to her declaration was equally fierce.

**

     Yukari sighed as he laid aside his tablet, he had known that it wouldn’t take them long to cotton onto how he was keeping an eye on them, but he had hoped that he would have a little more time before they found. Now he was going to have to step up the game before the Crow was even back on his feet and he pouted slightly at that thought, he hated being rushed. Still, it confirmed that the Blue was still involved, and his lips curled up as his previous good humour was restored as he got to his feet, humming softly under his breath. Perhaps it was time for him to stir things up?

“You seem to be in a good mood Yukari,” Nagare commented glancing up from his screen with a hint of curiosity. He had caught the soft sigh a moment before but had carefully remained silent, well aware of what a sulky Yukari could be like, and so he couldn’t work out why the swordsman now had a contented smile on his face.

“Of course Nagare-chan,” Yukari replied turning to look at his King, before spinning around and throwing his arms out dramatically. “It is time to make things a little more interesting in this little game of ours, I’m sure Sukuna will be delighted.”

“You always were impatient,” Nagare scolded, but the excited gleaming eyes gave away his own interest and excitement.

“Ah come on Nagare-chan,” Yukari protested with a teasing smile as he gestured towards Nagare’s screens and keyboard, a knowing gleam in his eyes as he added.  “I’ve seen you messing with the missions, you’re just as bored as the rest of us. And since there’s still no sign of the Silver King, we might as well have some fun.”

“Very well.”

 

That Evening:

    The pain and discomfort that met him as he slowly began to drift towards consciousness made Yata wonder why he had fought so hard to escape the shadows if this was all that awaited him. But he had a vague memory of being in much greater pain before he had become lost in the shadows, and so he persevered. It took an enormous amount of effort to convince his eyes to ease open, and he wasn’t sure how much time he had lost during the struggle, but there was an overwhelming sense of relief as he was finally able to blink, although he was unprepared for the brightness that assaulted his eyes after all the darkness. With a soft whimper, he slammed his eyes shut defensively, distantly aware of a growing beeping sound coming from somewhere close to his ears, but he didn’t dare open his eyes again to try and work out what it was.

   Instead, he tried to focus on taking stock of how he felt, feeling the lingering dull ache in his chest and he couldn’t stop himself from flinching at the memory of the katana entering his chest, and he could feel his breathing speeding up. Desperately he turned his thoughts to other matters, everything feeling sluggish and slow and he wrinkled his nose as he became aware of the thin tubes running into it, focusing on the air that it was providing him with and slowly steadying his breathing once more. He felt exhausted already, but he didn’t want to give into the shadows again, terrified that it would take him ages to escape once more…but he didn’t think he would be able to stay awake much longer, and he vaguely heard the beeping increasing once more. _Anna…Kusanagi-san…Saruhiko…where are you? I don’t want to go back there…_

    Fushimi jolted awake as he detected the change in the monitor, over the past couple of weeks he had grown attuned to the noises of the hospital room and he shot upright in his seat cursing himself for falling asleep. A brief glance towards the bed showed no obvious changes in the other teen’s condition, and his expression fell before he glanced at the monitor, his eyes widening as he took in the elevated heart rate before shifting his attention back to the bed. _Could it be…Misaki…?_ This time he detected the faint movement of the older teen’s eyes beneath his closed lids and the way his chest was rising and falling much faster than before.

“Misaki? Misaki can you hear me?” He called with almost desperate hope as he leant forwards, barely remembering to reach out and hit the call button before grasping Misaki’s hand in his and squeezing it gently as he called again. “Misaki?!” He was aware that his voice was almost reaching inappropriate levels, but he didn’t care, although he found himself mute a couple of minutes later when he finally felt the lightest of pressure against his hand, and he glanced down to see Yata’s fingers curling weakly against him. “Misaki…?”

     Yata hadn’t been able to believe it at first when he had heard Fushimi’s voice, he knew that the Blue had been there before all of this, but he hadn’t dared to think that he would still be there when he woke up and he’d desperately kept his eyes shut not wanting to shatter the illusion. But then he heard his voice again, a warm hand taking hold of his and finally he had found the courage to curl his fingers against it, although he was alarmed by the amount of strength it took to make even that small gesture. Something in Fushimi’s voice the next time the Blue spoke gave him the courage to try and open his eyes once more. Although it was harder than he’d expected and he only managed to ease them open halfway, Fushimi’s face swimming in and out of focus above him and he weakly raised his free hand towards the other teen.

“Saru…”


	2. Chapter 2

    Fushimi swallowed past the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, reaching out to take the searching hand on his own and squeezing softly as he caught the weak tremors wracking Misaki’s fingers. Misaki still hadn’t managed to convince his eyes to open fully, but the hazy hazel slits were the best thing he had seen in weeks, and he couldn’t quite stop his lips from quirking up in a small smile. Misaki blinked at the unusual sight before his gaze wandered around the room before returning to Fushimi, somewhat startled by the intensity of the gaze fixed on him.

“Saru…where?” Misaki asked faintly, struggling to force the words out past his dry throat, fighting against the urge to fall asleep again. _Surely, I’ve slept long enough?_ He wasn’t sure how long he’d been in the shadows and his sense of time was all distorted, but there was something in Fushimi’s relieved expression that told him it had been a long time, even though he was entirely sure why the Blue seemed to care so much. _Why are you here Saru?_ He had a vague memory of seeing Fushimi standing over him during the fight, but he wasn’t sure whether that was just wistful dreams rather than reality.

“You’re in the hospital,” Fushimi explained gently, well aware that the vanguard wasn’t completely with it yet and that he had a feeling that they would be repeating this conversation at least once. Usually, the idea of having to repeat himself to anyone would have made him snappish and impatient but watching Misaki’s hazy gaze losing focus for a moment before the vanguard shook his head with a grimace as he refocused drove any impatience from him.  “Do you remember what happened?” They had been warned that the shock from his injury and blood loss might have distorted his memories and he wanted to make sure before he dumped information on him.

“Stabbed?” Yata muttered, weakly lifting his free hand and letting it hover over his chest and there was remembered fear in his eyes as he recalled the feeling of the blade in his chest. For a moment his vision seemed to blur, and for a second it was Yukari leaning over him, and he couldn’t stop himself from flinching back defensively before his vision cleared and he remembered that it was Saru stood in front of him.

“Yeah,” Fushimi agreed softly, he hadn’t missed the flinch, and he had to admit that the thought of Misaki being afraid of him bothered him. He waited for a moment, loosening his grip on the other’s hand to give him the option of pulling away if he needed to and he nearly collapsed with relief when Yata instead weakly curled his fingers around his.    

“How long?”

“Since the fight?” He asked softly, receiving a small nod and he sighed already knowing that Yata wasn’t going to like the answer, the vanguard absolutely loathed being laid up for any reason. It was why when they’d been younger he’d always ended up seriously ill more often than anyone else, as he stubbornly refused to rest when he started feeling well. HOMRA had been good for him in that respect as Kusanagi seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to the vanguard, always banishing him to bed when he showed the slightest hint of being ill and forcing him to rest when he was injured. He hesitated for a moment but there was a demanding gleam in the hazel eyes, and he ducked his head in defeat before mumbling. “It’s been over two weeks.”  

    Yata gaped silently up at the taller teen for a long moment. _Two weeks?_ He knew that he wound had been worse than any he’d had before, and he could distantly remember lying in the tower feeling his body going cold, believing that maybe this wasn’t something he was going to survive. But - two weeks. So much could have happened in that time. His eyes widened in alarm, was that why Fushimi was here rather than someone from HOMRA? Had the Green clan gone after Anna again? Were Kamamoto and the others alright? He could feel his breathing beginning to speed up, making his chest feel heavier as the wound began to ache with fresh intensity but he couldn’t get himself to calm down even though he tried, awake enough to know it wasn’t good for him to panic like this.

 “Calm down!” Fushimi was there, his hand warm on his and the other reaching out to brush his cheek, and the unexpected, gentle touch penetrated the haze of his panic, and he became aware of the monitor beeping loudly beside him. Wide-eyed he stared up at the Blue as he struggled to calm his breathing, fingers clutching at the front of his hospital gown as he tried to stop himself from gripping at the wound itself. Before he had managed to calm himself the door to the room opened, and a nurse and doctor bustled in with worried expressions, and to his alarm, they began to shoo Fushimi out of the room, and his panic intensified as the Blue released his hand.

“No!” He was embarrassed by the panic in his voice, but he didn’t take it back as he stared pleadingly at Fushimi who had frozen at the weak cry.

“I’ll be right back, let them look after you,” Fushimi said reassuringly, feeling bad for not giving into the desperate plea especially when it was clear that the vanguard was far from calm. He had forgotten that he’d pressed the call button, and part of him wanted to curse at them for arriving just then, but the more rational part knew that Misaki needed to be examined and he hoped that maybe having a brief break would allow Misaki to calm properly.

“Promise?” Yata asked, realising that he wasn’t going to be able to prevent Fushimi from being chased out, but he didn’t want to be on his own even if he didn’t fully understand why the Blue was here. Fushimi didn’t answer, but the look in his dark eyes was enough to reassure Yata that he would return, and he reluctantly subsided as Fushimi left the room, the door clicking shut between them.

*

   Sighing he slumped against the wall outside of Yata’s room, peering through the window and watching as the vanguard struggled to respond to the battery of questions he was being asked, a hint of a blush entering Misaki’s cheeks as the nurse fussed around him. The glimpse of normal behaviour from the red was reassuring, and Fushimi let a breath before rooting in his pocket for his PDA, as much as he wanted some more time alone with the vanguard he knew that he needed to let HOMRA know that he was awake although he wouldn’t be surprised if Anna already knew.

_Misaki’s awake._

   It was short and blunt, but he didn’t see the point in elaborating as they would no doubt be here fairly soon and they would be able to see Misaki’s condition for himself. He hesitated for a moment before sending a similar, albeit slightly politer version to Awashima as he knew that his superiors had also been keeping an eye on the vanguard’s condition - he just hoped that she wouldn’t use it to drag him back to full duties just yet. He had intended to go back to his normal hours and duties as soon as Misaki was awake and on the mend, and yet as he stood there waiting to be able to go back inside he was honest enough to admit to himself at least that he couldn’t just walk away yet.

    There was still the threat from JUNGLE to consider, as he had no doubt at all that Yukari was planning to do something. It irritated him no end that they still had no leads on the clan or their intentions, and he didn’t quite trust HOMRA to be able to keep Misaki safe. After all, they had been there in the tower, and yet the vanguard had nearly died; logically he knew that had been a different situation altogether, but it didn’t change the fact that he was worried. Then there was the fact that Yata had asked him to come back. He knew that part of that was his fear and confusion speaking and that there was every chance that Misaki would toss him out on his ear when he felt better, but the possibility of being there, mending some of the broken ties between them was enough to keep the Blue where he was.

    His PDA chimed startling out of his thoughts, and he pulled it out again, sighing as he saw two messages and glancing briefly into the room to check on Misaki he stilled as he realised the doctor had removed the bandage, eyes darkening as he studied the little he could see of the injury. There was no doubt that it was going to scar, and he clenched his fist at the thought that Yata was never going to escape what had happened. He knew that he had given the Crow small scars before during their fights, and he had several that the vanguard had managed to inflict, but those were different, and they weren’t a reminder that he had nearly died.

    Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to look away as Misaki finally got a look at the injury, the vanguard paling dramatically at the sight. With difficulty Fushimi turned his attention to the messages in an attempt to distract himself from his anger, knowing that he couldn’t afford to lose his temper in the hospital. The first message was from Kusanagi confirming that they were on his way, and he sighed as that meant his alone time with Misaki was going to be cut short. The second was from Awashima, passing on a message from Munakata to say that he needed to go back to headquarters the next day, although he was relieved that she had added that he could remain on light duties for the time being. Although his eyes narrowed slightly if he had to meet with his King that suggested something had happened. _Are you finally making a move Mishakuji Yukari?_

*

   It was another ten minutes before he was finally let back into Misaki’s room, the Doctor pulling him aside to update him on the vanguard’s condition, warning him that Misaki would still be in the hospital for a while longer and Fushimi had to fight the urge to groan at that news. That was something that he was going to let Kusanagi or Anna tell Yata, as there was no way he was going to be happy with the news even if his own body was telling him that they were right. Thanking the doctor, he slipped into the room, glancing at the clock as he knew that they wouldn’t have long before the HOMRA lot descended on them, although he couldn’t even generate proper irritation at that thought as he knew that the vanguard would be happy to see them. However, he was somewhat disappointed to find Misaki dozing lightly when he slipped back into the room, despite knowing that he needed his rest. He had barely settled back into his chair though when Yata grumbled under his breath before slowly opening his eyes, his gaze slightly more focused this time as he tilted his head to look at Fushimi.

“You came back?”

“I promised didn’t I?” Fushimi asked slightly offended, he might have turned traitor by leaving the Red clan, but he didn’t think he’d ever really broken a promise to the other teen before, and he certainly wasn’t going to do so while he was laid up in the hospital. “Anna and Kusanagi are on their way, possibly some of the others too.” Something loosened in Yata’s expression, and he sighed as he realised that the idiot had probably been more worried about them, than himself, even though he was the one that had nearly died. “They’re all fine.”

“The Green clan…?” Yata asked hesitantly, unsure of whether he really wanted the answer to that question, especially while he was bathing in the news that the others were alright.

“A few incidents here and there, it seems like they’re mainly targeting the Silvers for the time being so they must still be looking for Weismann,” Fushimi replied quietly after a moment, there was no way he was going to mention that Yukari had been snooping in the vanguard’s medical file just yet. He hadn’t missed the flash of remembered fear earlier when the vanguard had recalled what had happened, and he wanted to try and spare him fresh fear until he was slightly better.

“Oh…” Yata wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that. It wasn’t the answer he had been expecting, although it was a relief to know his clan were relatively safe and that he hadn’t missed much, after all, it was his job to fight with them and protect Anna. Yet he had also caught the brief hesitation in the other’s answer and the way dark eyes had flickered away for a moment. _What aren’t you telling me Saru?_ He was tempted to ask, but he was starting to feel tired again, and he didn’t really want to get into an argument with him right now, and so he held his peace. Yawning widely, he shifted around awkwardly trying to find a more comfortable position, stubbornly resisting the urge to close his eyes and doze off once more. The doctor had warned him that he would sleep a lot for the time being, but that didn't ease his fear that he might get lost in the shadows again.

"Go to sleep," Fushimi ordered as he watched Misaki's eyes slip shut only to jolt open again a moment later. He didn't really want the smaller man to sleep, worried that if he did that he might not wake again, even if he knew that the danger was past and that Misaki needed all the rest that he could get. "I'll stay until the others arrive," he added as he caught the reluctance that flickered across Misaki's face even as he struggled to force his eyes open once more.

"Will..." Yata hesitated, not wanting to sound too needy, especially as he was unsure how long this oddly considerate side to Fushimi was going to linger. However, feeling the dark eyes fixated on him expectantly he summoned up the courage to finish. "Will you come back? Tomorrow I mean."

"Probably."

"'Kay," Yata hummed softly, knowing from experience that was the snarky man's way of agreeing without showing any enthusiasm and avoiding even remotely emotional exchanges. Reassured by the cool response he snuggled down under the covers, finally allowing his eyes to drift shut, the thought of the darkness still worried him but knowing Saru was there and that he was coming back made it bearable. It didn't take long for sleep to claim him, his features relaxing completely and his breathing deep and steady, the sound helping to ease Fushimi’s nerves.

"Idiot, where else would I be?" Fushimi breathed once he was sure that the vanguard was properly asleep, shoving aside the last of his intentions to take off now that the Crow was awake and on the mend.

*

   Fushimi's head shot up as he finally heard movement just beyond the door, his hand slipping towards the knives concealed within his jacket. He had been watching the clock for the past hour, growing increasingly concerned as time went on as he knew that it didn't take that long to get from HOMRA to the hospital. It had been all that he could do not to start pacing around the room, desperately wanting to avoid rousing Misaki, knowing that he would start to panic again. His fingers tensed against the blades only to relax as the door slid open to reveal a rather ruffled looking Kusanagi.

   Letting out a soft sigh of relief Fushimi rose and went to greet them, not wanting to risk waking Yata when it was clear the reds had been fighting. Gesturing warningly towards the sleeping vanguard he herded the older man outside, quietly closing the door behind them.

"What happened?" If it had been anyone else from HOMRA, he might have dismissed it as a usual scuffle, but he knew that the second in command wouldn’t have risked getting into a fight on the way to the hospital unless it was necessary.

"JUNGLE got fed up of waiting," it was Anna that replied and as Fushimi turned to look at her he was taken aback by the fury in her expression, and there was fire in her eyes as she gestured towards Misaki's room. "They were trying to stop us getting here."

"So they know he's awake?" Fushimi demanded angrily, realising that there had to be something or someone else that they were using to spy on Yata.

"Looks like it," Kusanagi agreed wearily as he swiped some dirt off his face, fidgeting briefly with his lighter before refocusing on the Blue. "It's not just us that they're targeting. Seri-chan says that Scepter 4 has been run ragged since this morning, and the Black dog and Neko-chan barely escaped an explosion a short while ago."

"Damn they're really not holding back," Fushimi muttered, wondering just how big the Green clan was. Scepter 4 was the largest of the other clans, but even if they teamed up with the reds and silvers, he had a feeling that it wasn't going to be enough, plus the Silver king is still missing at best if not dead. "I'm sorry..." he added quietly as he glanced down, clenching his hands into fists at his sides.

"Huh?" Kusanagi blinked in confusion at the unexpected apology.

"They must have detected me trying to trace their hacking," Fushimi explained tersely, he had been so incensed by the idea of someone snooping through Misaki's medical file that his work hadn't been as careful as usual. The Doctors had reluctantly agreed to keep everything off the computer since then, which meant that the Greens had lost their source of information. Something that had obviously drawn their attention, rather than protecting Misaki as he had hoped that it would.

"It's fine," Anna was quick to assure him, offering him a small smile before signing with a weariness that no twelve-year-old should be able to show. "It's too organised to be completely spur of the moment, and we knew the peace wasn't going to last." _We knew that they were going to come after Misaki,_ he heard the unspoken words, and while he knew that they had suspected it, it was a completely different thing to have that suspicion confirmed.

"Any injuries?" He forced himself to ask, he wasn’t overly concerned about the HOMRA members but he knew that Yata would be once he knew what was going on.

"Just Kamamoto," Kusanagi replied with a sigh, an irritated frown as he leant back against the wall. “He’s downstairs getting some stitches right now. The Greens he was fighting said something about Misaki, and he lost his temper…” Usually, the burly blond was a calm fighter, but he had been on edge after Yata had been injured in the tower, blaming himself for sending the vanguard after Anna on his own even though he had been injured himself at the time.

“Do you know what they said?” Fushimi demanded, cursing the idiot for getting himself injured as it was only going to upset Misaki, but knowing that it must’ve been something bad to set him off to that extent. There was a reason Kamamoto was usually paired with the hot-headed idiot, so this behaviour was worrying.

“No,” Kusanagi admitted with a frown, immediately getting where the Blue’s thoughts had gone, and as they lacked any real information on JUNGLE, they would have to make do with what little they could get. “He was too riled up to tell us, but I’ll ask again later.” Fushimi nodded his thanks, already planning on having a poke around the JUNGLE network to see if he could find the faintest hint of what they had planned for Misaki, and hoping that whatever Kamamoto had to add would make the task easier.

“How’s Misaki?” Anna asked as she stood on her tiptoes to peer through the window into the room, her expression softening as she saw the sleeping vanguard, somewhat disappointed that he wasn’t still awake to see them.

“Tired,” Fushimi replied bluntly as he followed her gaze, seeing the disappointment in her expression, before adding softy.  “He remembers what happened, although I don’t think he’s aware of all the details, and I didn’t tell him that JUNGLE had been snooping around.” It had been one thing to conceal that from the vanguard, but now that the Greens were beginning to step up their attacks they were going to have to work out just how much they were going to tell him before he was completely back on his feet.

“Good,” Kusanagi nodded approvingly at that news. “He’s going to be a nightmare to keep in bed as it is if he hears that JUNGLE are on the move we’ll have a real fight on our hands.” He grimaced at that thought, remembering the trouble they’d had stopping Yata from getting into fights a couple of years ago when he’d broken his wrist coming off his skateboard.

“Yeah good luck with that,” Fushimi muttered under his breath, before straightening with a slight smirk on his lips as he met the older man’s gaze. “The Doctor says he’ll be in here for another week or so, I have to admit that I didn’t tell him that.” From the way, Kusanagi groaned it was clear that he had cottoned onto the fact that the Blue was delegating that task, although the glare he shot at him was weak and Fushimi merely shrugged it off.

    Glancing at the door to Misaki’s room he sighed before reluctantly turning away, he had only planned to stay until they arrived, and with the news that JUNGLE was on the move, it made some of his tasks more urgent. It also explained why Awashima and Munakata had asked him to go into work tomorrow he realised with a sigh, honestly why couldn’t they have let him know. _Because in their own way they do care about you,_ a small voice piped up at the back of his mind, and although he scoffed at it, he knew it was a weak effort, and he scowled.

“Fushimi?”  Anna asked quietly as she realised that he was starting to leave, not sure what to make of the scowl on his face as it didn’t seem to be aimed at them or Misaki for once.

“There’s some stuff I need to take care of now that you’re here,” Fushimi explained with a sigh, noting her worried look as he turned back to glance at her.  “I’ll be back tomorrow…” _Since I promised,_ it might have been a half-hearted response that he’d given earlier, but he knew that Misaki would have taken it as a promise. Anna smiled slightly at that, and he narrowed his eyes, once again certain that the young girl – King, knew far more than she should about his inner thoughts. “See you,” he muttered feeling suddenly unnerved, ignoring her soft goodbye as he disappeared down the corridor as fast he could without running.

“Come on Anna, let’s go and wait for the sleepyhead to wake up again,” Kusanagi encouraged once the blue had disappeared around the corner, and after a moment she nodded offering him a small smile before she led the way into Misaki’s room.

  _Misaki…_

*

     When Misaki woke a short while later he was startled to find that Fushimi had disappeared, only to be replaced with Anna and Kusanagi, the former sat on the edge of his bed with her fingers running gently through his hair and a soft but worried smile on her face. Crimson eyes lit up though as their gazes met, making her look like her age for once and despite his weariness and the lingering pain he managed to grin up at her.

“Anna…” He coughed as the words caught in his dry throat, only to find himself unable to properly catch his breath and he could feel panic beginning to rise once more.

“Here,” suddenly there was a strong arm around his shoulder, lifting him into a seated position to help his breathing and he gasped out a weak thanks. Once he’d finally managed to calm somewhat, his breathing easing out, he found a cup of water being held up to his lips. With a flash of independence, he tried to reach up and take it, determined to be able to do at least this much on his own. “Let me help!” Kusanagi scolded when he nearly dropped it. Instead, the older man’s hand coming up to steady it, and there was a sternness in his expression that made Yata obey. The water was cool and refreshing, and he sipped it greedily, reluctantly obeying as he was cautioned to slow down. “Better?” Kusanagi asked when he was done, setting the cup aside on the bedside table.

“Yeah thanks,” Yata mumbled, already feeling tired again much to his disgust and he didn’t even put up a token protest as the older man carefully settled him back on the bed. Anna carefully smoothed out his covers and be blinked sleepily up at her, only to start when she suddenly slipped off the bed and whirled around to glare at him fiercely.

“Baka Misaki!”

“Huh?” He blinked in surprise having never seen this side of her before, and as he glanced across at Kusanagi for support he was startled to find him glaring at him as well, and he swallowed hard as he tried to wrack his brains for what he could have done to earn those expressions.

“What were you thinking?” Anna demanded, only to come up short when she saw the look of open confusion on his face. _Do you really not get how much you scared us Misaki?_ Sighing her expression softened slightly, and she stepped forward to grasp his hand, waiting until he met her gaze before continuing softly. “You were so reckless in that fight! Throwing yourself in the way….” She trailed off with a shiver as the image of Yata throwing himself into Yukari’s path flashed through her mind, and she felt his hand squeezing hers gently and pulling her back to the present, and she blinked as she found that his confusion had been replaced with understanding.

“I’m sorry I scared you, but I’m the vanguard,” he said softly as he held her gaze, and for once there was none of the pride that he usually showed at holding that title, only grim seriousness. He had failed to protect Mikoto, that wasn’t a mistake that he was going to make this time and his voice grew more impassioned as he continued. “I’m your shield! I’m supposed to protect you.” _I will protect you._ It was why he couldn’t afford to lay around for too long, even though it didn’t feel like he could do much of anything at the moment. _And why I have to find a way to beat Yukari…_

“But not at the cost of yourself!”

“Anna…” Kusanagi tried to interject as he sensed that things were getting too heated, not wanting her to inadvertently stress Yata to the point where his health suffered. She had been out of sorts since the Tower, worrying over Yata and blaming herself and all of that was trying to pour out of her all at once now that Yata was awake to hear it.

“It was the only way!” Yata said heatedly as he met her burning gaze head-on, ignoring the restraining hand that Kusanagi had placed on his shoulder.  “Do you really think that I could have stepped aside and allowed him to a lay a hand on you?” The mere thought of it made him go cold, he would gladly take the pain and shadow a hundred times over if it meant protecting her from that. _Why can’t you understand that?_

“This red,” Anna said quietly holding out her hand, red marbles glistening with her fire shining in her palm and Yata smiled slightly at the sight. He had missed that red. Part of him would always miss Mikoto’s red, but now he had a new one to protect. “This red means that I can protect myself! That I can protect all of you!”

“I know,” Yata’s voice was soft and understanding, he had known that she would see this power in that way and he was happy for her. Still, he squeezed her fingers gently drawing her attention away from the marbles before adding quietly. “But even if you can protect everyone, we want - need to protect you too. I don’t regret what I did back then, and nothing you say will make me regret it.”

“But…” Anna whispered as she slowly returned her marbles to her pocket, her eyes swimming with unshed tears as she met his gaze once more.  “We nearly lost you…”

“I’m made of tough stuff,” Yata replied confidently jerking his free hand towards himself with a grin, not allowing any of his earlier shock at the news of how close he’d come to dying show through. The Doctor had been brutally honest, and he had to admit that he’d never thought that it was that bad, not that it really changed anything. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“Well Mr Tough stuff,” Kusanagi interrupted now that their tempers seemed to be cooling, ignoring the pout that the nickname earned him as he loomed over the teen, fixating the vanguard with a stern expression.  “You’re going to be in here for a while yet, and I expect you’ll need to take things easy when you get home as well.” As expected a mulish expression flickered over Yata’s face at his words, and silently he cursed Fushimi for leaving it to him to tell the vanguard the news, _he just doesn’t want to deal with the temper tantrums to come._ A wicked grin touched his lips briefly as he knew that there was no way the Blue would be able to escape once Yata really started to rebel against being on bed rest.

“Yeah the doctor mentioned something like that,” Yata mumbled grumpily, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. “But…”

“No buts,” Anna scolded him, and she continued before he could protest, her crimson eyes fierce.  “I want my shield back! So that means you have to listen to the Doctors and to us!”

“Anna…” Yata breathed softly as he stared at her with wide-eyes, wanting to protest the command but finding it hard to after she had called him her shield. He had always been the vanguard, but in all honesty, he had always known that Mikoto didn’t need protecting, but Anna - as much as she claimed her independence, she needs their protection in a way that their former King hadn’t.

“Promise me!” Anna demanded more forceful than he had ever heard her before, her expression turning pleading as she added more quietly. “Misaki…please?” Kusanagi grinned as he heard the choked noise that escaped the vanguard in response to the plea, knowing that there was no way he was going to be able to resist that tone and expression. It was how she had them all twisted around her little finger long before she’d become their King.

“Fine,” Yata muttered after a long moment, unable to hold out against her when she looked like that, and he stubbornly ignored the smug expression on Kusanagi’s face as he added softly. “I promise.” The moment the words left his lips she sprang towards her, wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she dared with his injuries.

“Thank you…Thank you,” she chanted softly into his shoulder, and hesitantly he returned the hug, realising with a groan that there really was no way he was going to be able to break his word when she reacted like that. He jolted softly when he felt warm fingers squeezing his shoulder, peering up in surprise to find Kusanagi staring down at him, the older man’s expression more open and emotional than he had ever seen it before and he found himself unable to say anything as Kusanagi smiled.

“It’s good to have you back.”

****

The next afternoon:

    Seri sighed as she knocked on the door to Munakata’s office, exhaustion weighing her down and she glowered briefly at the bandage wrapped around her wrist. She hadn’t quite managed to avoid falling debris during the skirmish the day before much to her chagrin, although she was refusing to let the injury slow her down. With Fushimi still splitting his time between work and the hospital despite the HOMRA vanguard finally being awake, they couldn’t afford for her to be out of work as well. Hearing the quiet voice from within, she straightened before letting herself in, closing the door quietly behind her before turning her attention to Munakata.

“Captain…”

“More attacks?” Most people would have thought that he didn’t care from the lightness of his tone, but she caught the underlying grimness and the harsh glint in his eyes as he glanced up from the report that he had been reading through. For a moment his eyes lingered on her bandaged wrist, his expression softening somewhat and she coughed sharply as she saw the concern in his gaze.

“Yes. There have been another four incidents today as well, two of which would have brought us into conflict with HOMRA if it wasn’t for the current situation,” She reported grimly, knowing that they were looking that he had issued the command not to fight with HOMRA whilst Anna Kushina had given a similar order to her own clansmen. They couldn’t afford to be fighting needlessly at the moment, and it was easier if they only had to focus on one foe, especially as JUNGLE was proving rather adept at causing havoc without risking getting caught. “They’re running us ragged, and at the moment all we’ve been able to do is react.” Her expression darkened at that admission as she hated feeling like the situation was out of control, unfortunately not even Fushimi had been able to detect a pattern in the attacks when he had come in earlier, and she had been hoping that he would see something that she had missed.

“Are HOMRA having similar problems?”

“Yes Sir,” Awashima replied with a slight frown, wondering when it had become common knowledge that she knew more of what was going on with HOMRA than the rest, not that she had particularly gone out of her way to hide it.  “Kusanagi Izumo is keeping me updated with their situation, he also informed me that the attacks on the Silvers have increased tenfold.”

“JUNGLE,” Munakata said softly glancing out of the window for a moment, a faraway expression on his face before he frowned and turned back to her. “It seems as though they were more prepared for this than I thought.” There had been so few Greens involved in the Tower incident, and with their lack of presence in previous years, he had allowed himself to believe that the danger had passed, or at least that it was nothing to be seriously concerned with. His eyes narrowed for a moment at the thought of having to play catch up with the secretive clan, before he cleared his expression and sat up straighter. “Has Fushimi-kun been in today?”

“Yes,” She scowled. Clearly, the surly third hadn’t bothered to stop by and greet their Captain, something that she would normally come down on him like a ton of bricks for. But there had been something in his expression earlier that was making it impossible to get to her usual levels of irritation with him, and she sighed before continuing. “He was assisting us earlier as one of the calls came in just after he arrived, and he has gone over what information we do have, but he wasn’t able to spot anything that we missed. He…”

“What is it?” Munakata asked as he caught the hesitation.

“He’s in the practice rooms at the moment,” She replied after a moment, sighing as she caught the confusion in her King’s eyes at her response. “He’s been there a couple of hours already, and I’ve never seen him so focused before...” Even when she had suggested that he was free to leave if he wanted to head to the hospital already, he’d refused, and not out of a reluctance to see Yata Misaki, instead going straight back to his practice. Having never seen him put full effort into anything apart from fighting with the HOMRA vanguard it was somewhat unnerving, not helped by the grim expression on his face as he went through each motion.

“From what I understand the fight with Mishakuji Yukari was not in his favour,” Munakata commented softly, in all honesty, that information bothered him as he knew that despite his often-unorthodox methods, Fushimi was one of the best fighters they had. And the HOMRA vanguard was skilled as well…which begged the question as to how talented the Green really was, and from what he’d managed to garner he hadn’t really used either of his clan powers during those fights. “And with the HOMRA vanguard injured and being targeted it is likely that he has found an unprecedented level of motivation for the time being. Leave him be.” While he trusted that Fushimi was fully a member of his clan by this point, he knew that he was still attached to Yata Misaki in a way that no one, not even Fushimi seemed to understand, and he knew that meddling at this stage would only make things more difficult.

“But…”

“Organise the men into shifts,” He ordered cutting across her protest, amused that she was finally showing concern rather than irritation towards the third in command, but needing her attention elsewhere for the time being. “If JUNGLE is going to be keeping us on our toes then we need to be able to cover all fronts. Ask Kusanagi Izumo if he will pass on any pertinent information.” It went against the grain to accept help from HOMRA, but with the added strain of guarding the tower and the condition of his sword, combined with JUNGLE rising from the shadows he would accept whatever help he could.

“Yes Sir,” Awashima could tell that the conversation was over, and she bowed before heading for the door to organise the men. However, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing back at her King, catching the worried expression that flickered across his face and somehow, she knew that his thoughts were on Fushimi and she bit her lip when she realised that he was more concerned than he had let on.  

_Fushimi, what are you getting yourself into?_

*

   Fushimi’s expression was grim as he moved through the paces of his practice, ignoring the dull ache that was telling him that he had been at it for too long. Several of the others had already tried to get him to leave for the day, but none of them had really pushed the issue, so here he was, sweat dripping down his back and his steps gradually getting slower. But he couldn’t stop, not yet. Every time he raised the blade Yukari’s face would flash across his vision, his mind replaying the fight in the tower. He had been lucky back then, Lucky that the Green was playing with him, more interested in Misaki than him, Lucky that Anna and Munakata had been there, but he couldn’t rely on that luck next time, and there would be a next time.

    Even if he wasn’t determined to beat Mishakuji himself, with the Green’s continuing interest in the HOMRA vanguard, there was no way to avoid future conflict. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, _Misaki, I won’t let him hurt you again._ He knew the vanguard would have his own thoughts about facing the swordsman again, and he paused as he glanced down at the weapon, perhaps it would be wise to try and at least teach Misaki the basics of sword fighting. As skilled as the other was with his skateboard and blunt weapons, they weren’t likely to be enough against that man, and that wasn’t something he could allow. Although that would have to wait for Misaki to be given the all clear by the Doctors he realised with a sigh.

    Still, he felt a little better at having come up with something that he could do that might help Misaki, especially after his research into JUNGLES online presence had turned up very little, not that they had a lot of information to go on in the first place. The only thing he had been able to confirm was that it was a clan-wide mission to target HOMRA, SCEPTER 4 and the silvers although he had been relieved to find that the bounty on Misaki had yet to be reintroduced, although he certainly wasn’t going to mention that to the vanguard. Irritably he straightened, swiping at his damp forehead before glancing at the clock and cursing as he realised that it was later than he had realised and he still had to go and visit Misaki. Sighing he decided to do one more set before heading to the hospital, stepping into a ready position, a vindictive grin crossing his lips as he lunged forwards imaging that it was the Green in front of him.

_One way or another I will find a way to beat you…_

*

   It was already getting dark by the time he managed to get to the hospital, and he was quite surprised to find that Yata was still awake, although by the relief that flooded the vanguard’s face when he entered the room it was clear that he had been waiting for Fushimi to turn up. Unfortunately, Eric and Kōsuke were also visiting, and it was rather tense although Anna had already warned them all to be civil, and he had to admit that he was relieved when after ten minutes of curt small-talk they finally got the hint and disappeared with the promise to visit again soon. Both shooting him warning looks when they thought that Yata was distracted, which he merely sneered at in return. _Do they really think I’m going to do something after all this time? And in a hospital to boot? Besides, it’s no fun when Misaki can’t fight back…_

“Sorry about that,” Yata mumbled wearily as the door clicked shut behind them, turning to look at the Blue and catching the sneer before Fushimi could hide it and he sighed. It had been foolish to hope that both sides could get on, but still, he had naively let himself think that maybe just maybe - he sighed again and shook his head at the curious look he received from the Blue. “You really came…”

“I said that I would.”

“No, you said probably,” Yata teased even though he relaxed, privately he had been a bit worried that he might have misunderstood. After all, it had been ages since they had fully understood one another, and as the day had passed, he had really started to think that Fushimi wasn’t coming.

“Exactly,” Fushimi retorted, it was easy to tell what Misaki was thinking about as his expression was as open as always. “How are you feeling today?” He had to admit that it had been a relief to find the other awake, as he still hadn’t managed to shake the fear that something else could go wrong, although he knew that Anna and Kusanagi at least would have let him know if that was the case.

“Fine,” Yata mumbled, fed up of that question after getting it constantly all day, although he knew that everyone was only worried about him. Catching the sharp look from Fushimi and the concern hidden beneath it he sighed in defeat, before elaborating reluctantly. “Tired and sore…bored,” he added although it technically wasn’t true as he had spent most of the time asleep, often dozing off in the middle of conversations much to his embarrassment although no one had minded. Still, he hated being in the hospital, and although he was bound by the promise he had made to Anna he was determined to make sure that they knew he wasn’t happy about it.

“On the mend then,” Fushimi taunted without heat, aware of Misaki’s hatred of hospitals. Still, the response was oddly reassuring, and he narrowed his eyes in thought as he contemplated the last bit, sure that he still had some of their old games buried deep in his wardrobe. Perhaps it would be worth digging them out for Misaki, at least it might alleviate some of the grumpiness although he didn’t hold out too much hope for that. “How about…?” He trailed off, blinking as he realised that Misaki had fallen asleep his mouth hanging open as though he had been about to say something and he sighed, reaching out and gently closing the other’s mouth although he couldn’t hold back a soft chuckle at the sight that Yata made. “Guess it’ll be a surprise,” he muttered as he sat back in his seat, deciding to stay a little longer even if all the vanguard was going to do was sleep. It was reassuring watching him, knowing that if he reached out a shook his shoulder he would wake up… _and probably try and punch me…_

****

    Yata sighed as the door closed behind Dewa and Chitose, their promises to come back another day ringing in his ears and once again emphasising the fact that he was stuck in the hospital for the foreseeable future. Even the pile of games that Fushimi had surprisingly brought for him the day before had done little to ease his boredom, although he had been touched to realise the Blue had hung onto mementoes of their childhood as well. Flinging an arm across his face he sank back on the pillows, hissing as he jarred his chest and letting out a frustrated groan at the reminder of his injury. He was still determined that he was going to get out of the hospital and back into action a lot sooner than everyone was telling him. Although he was still trying to work out how he was going to get around the promise, Anna had extracted, but as he kept dozing off in the middle of conversations still, he knew that he had to wait a little longer.

   He was just beginning to doze off yet again when there was a soft knock on the door before the nurse popped her head in, looking surprised to find the room empty of visitors as usually they had to kick people out to get in to check on him.

“Some flowers have just been delivered for you,” she said with a warm smile when he shot her curious look, having already picked up on the rough schedule of the hospital and knowing that he wasn’t usually getting poked and prodded at this time of day.

“Flowers?” Yata asked in surprise, _who on earth would give me flowers?_ He’d already received a load of gifts and cards from HOMRA, but not one of them had given him flowers, and he doubted very much that Fushimi would give him any either. As the Nurse brought in the bouquet though his eyes narrowed, and there was a small spark of fear in the back of his mind as he studied them. _Green roses -_ and his voice shook slightly as he muttered a quiet. “Thank you.”

“Is everything okay Yata-kun?” The nurse asked with such concern that he wondered what his expression must be showing.

“Y-Yeah,” Yata managed to force out, his voice catching as he stared blankly down at the card before forcing a strained smile onto his lips as he turned his attention back to the nurse, managing to keep his voice level as he replied.  “I was just surprised that’s all.” She didn’t look overly convinced by his words, but thankfully she left it at that as she left, warning him that she would be back in a couple of hours to change the bandages to which Yata gave a silent nod. As soon as the door had clicked shut behind her, his attention turned back to the card, his lips pulling up in a snarl as he studied the overly pretty writing with fire building in his eyes.

_Get well soon, Little Crow. I’m waiting for you._

*

     Fushimi waved brusquely to the nurses who waved at him as he headed towards Misaki’s room, although he had tried to stay aloof it had been hard to ignore the people who had been taking care of the vanguard, especially when they had allowed him to stay even outside of the usual visiting hours. Hearing familiar voices heading his direction he ducked around a corner, peeping around the corner and scowling slightly as he spotted Dewa and Chitose heading down the corridor towards him and he hastily retreated to wait until they’d left, not in the mood for dealing with terse words and suspicious glares.

“Hey,” he greeted as he slipped into the room a few minutes later, coming up short as he spotted the spectacular bouquet of flowers on the bedside table, dark eyes narrowing as they darted between them and the troubled looking vanguard on the bed. It didn’t escape his notice that Yata hadn’t returned his greeting either, and with a small frown, he moved across to study them, reaching out and brushing his fingers against the petals with a growing sense of dread. Green roses were a rare sight, and he doubted that they were something that someone would send casually. _Unless…_

“Leave them!” The sudden shout made him jump slightly, and he turned to find Misaki glowering at the flowers with stormy eyes, but what really drew his attention was the hint of fear in the smaller man’s expression. He opened his mouth only to come up short as he spotted the card that the vanguard was holding in clenched hands, and his expression smoothed out as he took a small step closer to the bed, causing Yata to glance up at him cautiously.

“Who are they from?” Fushimi demanded in a tight voice, confident in his guess but wanting to hear it confirmed before he lost his temper and did something that he probably wasn’t going to regret. _Damn it, couldn’t they at least wait until he was out of the hospital_? It was clear that Misaki wasn’t really in any condition to deal with anything at the moment

“It doesn’t matter,” Misaki muttered under his breath as he glanced away from Fushimi’s searching gaze, crumpling the card in his hands and before the Blue could protest he had destroyed it with a small flash of flame and disappeared in a flurry of sparks.

“Misaki!” Fushimi barked, determined to get an answer, wishing that he’d had the foresight to snatch the card when he’d first spotted it. Thankfully, something in his tone seemed to have broken through the vanguard’s defensive wall, and with a defeated sigh he muttered.

“They’re from JUNGLE…”

 


	3. Chapter 3

    They had tightened up the security around the hospital after the roses had arrived, although even SCEPTER 4 were limited in what they were able to do as it was a busy building and they couldn’t limit access. Small presents continued to arrive for Yata every day, although none of them actually made it through to him as Fushimi had passed on an order to both clans and the nurses to keep them aside. The vanguard hadn’t outright said it, but it was clear that he was shaken by the bouquet of roses, and he had become somewhat skittish since then, starting whenever someone entered the room and glancing nervously towards the door whenever someone passed by. They had all noticed the change although none of them wanted to bring it up with him, instead doing what they could to announce their presence before barging in and doing what little they could to limit the traffic in the corridor outside his room.

    Despite their efforts, Yata remained nervous and quiet, barely joining in with conversations, although he always made more of an effort when Anna or Fushimi was visiting. The latter having increased the time he spent at the hospital with Munakata’s approval, although he sensed that might have had something to do with the large pile of files he had managed to go through and completely screw up as he mind was fixated on JUNGLE and Misaki. He wasn’t sure what to make of his King’s flexibility with him or the fact that the vanguard welcomed his presence more than others, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

*

“Something is going on isn’t there?” Misaki’s voice was quiet and nervous, and it hurt Fushimi to hear it as it was completely at odds with every memory he had of the vanguard, and he shifted uneasily as he looked up to find hazel eyes fixed on him with a strange intensity. “Everyone’s on edge, and the others have been fighting…”   _Damn it Misaki, why are you only ever observant at the worst possible times,_ Fushimi thought with a scowl, knowing that everyone had been doing their best to conceal the fact that the battles with the Greens had been intensifying or that the threat to Misaki himself hadn’t ended with those damned roses. “Saru?”

“Yes,” Fushimi replied after a long moment, knowing that his silence would only be taken the wrong way, although he knew that hearing the truth was only going to make Misaki even more worried. He cursed the fact that Anna and the others weren’t due for a couple of hours as they were following up a lead from one of Kusanagi’s leads, as he was sure they would have been gentler at breaking the news to Yata.

“Tell me.”

“JUNGLE has escalated its attacks against SCEPTER 4, HOMRA and the Silvers,” Fushimi admitted with a weary sigh, he’d been out on his fair share of missions even with being on lighter duties. Although thankfully they had been easily resolved and aside from small cuts and bruises that could be hidden beneath his uniform he had avoided injury. “Nothing truly serious, but they’re keeping everyone rushed off their feet.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Yata asked with a hint of hurt in his voice. It had been a few days since he’d first spotted that Erik was sporting fresh bruises during a visit, but he had held his peace thinking that it might just have been a brawl, but since then he had spotted similar injuries on the others and yet no one had said a thing to him.

“Idiot,” Fushimi growled causing the vanguard to blink at him in surprise before scowling, and the Blue sighed before adding with a roll of his eyes. “They don’t want to worry you, and it’s nothing to worry about.” _Which in a way is true- the attacks themselves are minor, and while annoying they’re not really a threat to any of us apart from the Silvers._ He was hoping that the news of the attacks would be enough to satisfy the other’s curiosity, but he knew from the expression on Misaki’s face that it wasn’t going to be and he braced himself when the vanguard opened his mouth again.

“Then why do you all look so stressed?”

“Because…”

“Don’t lie to me,” Misaki said softly, seeing the way that Fushimi had glanced at his hands, remembering how he’d always done that when they were younger, when he wasn’t going to be completely honest with his response, his eyes narrowing as he met worried blue. “Please, Saruhiko.” He felt helpless enough as it was being stuck in the hospital, but the thought of being kept out of everything just because of a minor injury hurt more than it should, and he found himself having to blink as his eyes began to sting slightly.

    Fushimi hesitated, torn between wanting to ease the hurt he could see in the other’s eyes and wanting to stop him from becoming even more afraid than he already was. However, he knew that Misaki could be like a dog with a bone and he didn’t want to risk damaging their improving relationship just because of a secret. With a sigh he looked up, meeting Misaki’s gaze head on so that the other would know that he was telling the truth.

“There’s been more presents, and messages…”

“From JUNGLE?” Misaki asked after a long moment, his hands clenching in front of him as he tried to conceal the tremor that went through him as he added quietly. “From him?” He had never really spoken about the fight, not even when he awoke from nightmares of the moment when that blade had pierced his chest to find one of them trying to soothe him, and he couldn’t bring himself to say Yukari’s name aloud even now.  Fushimi sighed before nodding, his expression darkening as what little colour Misaki seemed to have died away, and the vanguard sounded incredibly lost when he asked. “Why?”

“We don’t know,” Fushimi admitted quietly, wishing that he had a better answer as Misaki’s expression fell further at his reply. Yet nothing they had looked into had offered even a hint as to why the Former-Colourless clansman was so obsessed with the vanguard, or why his King seemed willing to cater to that obsession. “None of them have been dangerous, but…” _Flowers. Chocolates._ Fruit - all typical gifts, and yet all had been accompanied by the same message as the roses and therefore carried a threatening undertone.

“It’s not a good sign is it?”

“No.”

     Yata was silent, and still, his gaze focused on some distant point and Fushimi was reluctant to disturb him, hoping that the vanguard was processing the news and that he hadn’t made a huge mistake in telling him the truth. He was going to have to warn HOMRA that Misaki knew what was going on and that keeping secrets was only backfiring on them, although Anna had been somewhat reluctant to keep it secret from the start, finally giving in to the convincing arguments that Kusanagi had offered. He was startled out of his thoughts a moment later when Yata abruptly rolled onto his side, facing away from him, and Fushimi sucked in a breath as he noticed the tension that was practically radiating off the other. _I should never have told him._

“I want to be on my own,” Misaki mumbled softly, curling in on himself as he spoke, and Fushimi had to resist the urge to yell at him to straighten out so that he didn’t put stress on the wound, aware that it wouldn’t go down well right now.

“Misaki…”

“Please,” Misaki pleaded.

“Fine, but I’m going to be just outside,” Fushimi caved reluctantly, unwilling to push too hard when it was clear that Misaki was already fairly close to the edge. He waited a moment to see if he was going to get a reply, but when it was clear that none would be forthcoming he rose and headed for the door, pausing briefly in the doorway to glance back, but Misaki hadn’t moved in the slightest, and with a sigh, he slipped out of the door.

_I’m sorry Misaki._

*

    Yata could feel his eyes burning as he stared at the wall of his room, part of him longing to call out and ask Fushimi to come back because he didn’t want to be alone - but at the same time, he didn’t want to be around anyone. Didn’t want them to see his weakness or his fear. He had known that something was going on, and while he didn’t like hearing that his clan were out there fighting without him, it was much easier to accept that than the news that JUNGLE - no, Mishakuji Yukari was still toying with him. He had naively thought that the roses had been the end of it. A little message so that he wouldn’t forget the man that had put him in hospital. _Not that I could forget,_ he thought bitterly reaching up to brush his fingers over his bandages. It was going to scar, so he was never going to be free of that memory.

   _Why? Why are you so interested in me?_ He wasn’t one hundred per cent sure of what had happened after he’d fallen, his memory blurred with pain and shock. However, it was clear that Fushimi and Anna had fared far better than he had even though their confrontations had been shorter. Still, it was obvious that they were stronger than him, even if there was no way he was going to tell the Blue that, so it made no sense that the Greens were so fascinated with him when he was the weakest. Shivering he huddled deeper under his covers, trying to hide from everything, feeling incapable of dealing with anything at the moment especially when he didn’t even understand what was going on.

_Please, just leave me alone._

****

 “I want to go home…” Yata mumbled under his breath, carefully avoiding looking at them and he missed the concerned look that passed between them, stiffening slightly when Kusanagi lent forward to lay a gentle hand on his shoulder, and it was clear that he was barely resisting the urge to pull free. In the two days since he’d learnt the truth of what had happened he had become even more skittish, finding it hard to feel safe even around those he considered family, and he hated that he had become like this.

“Yata-chan?”

“I want to go home!” He repeated loudly, blushing slightly when he realised just how loud he’d mean, shooting them both an apologetic look before turning his attention back to his hands which were twisted nervously into the blanket.

“Misaki you promised to do what the doctors said, and they don’t want to release you yet,” Anna pointed out gently. They had already spoken to the doctors about the possibility of taking him home earlier as it would be easier to keep him safe at HOMRA, but they had maintained that it was safer for his health to remain in the hospital for the time being. They had carefully avoided mentioning that discussion to Misaki, knowing that it would only increase his restlessness, but this was the first time he had come right out and said that he wanted to leave. She knew that he wouldn’t break his word to her lightly, and she wondered if they had managed to miss something happening.

“I know…” Yata mumbled unable to bring himself to look at her, sure that he would see the disappointment in her crimson eyes. He had meant it when he’d given his word, even if it had been a reluctant agreement, but that had been before the roses and before he knew what was going on inside and outside the hospital.  “I know what I promised, but…” He trailed off, ashamed to admit the real reason for his change of mind, feeling his ears heating up as he felt them both watching him intently, waiting for him to finish what he’d been saying.

“But?” Kusanagi prompted him finally, and there was something in the surprisingly soft voice that he used that made Yata summon up his courage to continue.

“I don’t feel safe here.” He hated admitting it, feeling like it was only reconfirming his weakness. _I couldn’t beat Yukari. Now I can’t fight when our clan is under attack, and I’m afraid._ He was tired of being afraid all of the time, of flinching away from things that only weeks before had been comforting and welcomed, of being completely dependent on others including the Blues. It was his duty to protect Anna and the clan, and couldn’t do that as he was now, and he just hoped that being home would help him get back to normal a bit faster.

“Misaki…” Anna whispered with a pained expression on her face, unable to recall a time when the vanguard had ever admitted to being afraid before, and as she glanced across at Izumo she realised that he was thinking the same. It didn’t matter how dire a situation they had found themselves in, he had always had complete confidence in his own strength and the power of their clan, and it hurt to realise that everything that happened recently was making him doubt that.

“I’ll speak to the doctors again,” Kusanagi said after a moment as he rose to his feet with another glance towards Anna, seeing the agreement in her eyes, and when he turned back to Yata, he found the vanguard staring at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

“Kusanagi-san?”

“I can’t make any promises,” Kusanagi warned him quickly, not wanting to get his hopes up when he was already in a vulnerable state, although he was determined to do everything in his power to get them to release Yata from their care. There was no way he could bear the thought of leaving Yata somewhere he didn’t feel safe, but at the same time, he wanted to make it clear to the vanguard that he wasn’t about to go rushing back into action. They might not be making progress against the Greens but they were holding their own, and they weren’t about to endanger his health unless absolutely necessary. “And if they do say yes you’re coming to stay in the pub, not that tiny thing you call a flat.”

“But…”

“Misaki,” Anna interrupted him, and he turned to look at her, drawing in on himself as he warily met her gaze and she smiled to reassure him. “You can’t do everything on your own, and we can keep you safe if you’re at the pub with us. So please?”

    Yata hesitated for a moment before giving a tight nod, realising that if he didn’t agree then they might change their mind about speaking to the doctors, and it was certainly the lesser of two evils. Still, there was an uncomfortable feeling in his chest at the thought of needing to be looked after, at least in the hospital it had been easier to pretend that he wasn’t a burden on his clan, but if they were the ones taking care of him, then it would be impossible to ignore. Still, the offer of safety and the fact that the pub had always felt like home helped to ease that worry, and he watched with hopeful eyes as Kusanagi headed for the door.

_Please let me go home._

**

“Are you sure this is wise?” Fushimi asked as he leant against the wall a short distance from Misaki’s room. He had arrived at the hospital only to learn that Misaki was being let out of the hospital earlier than expected, although the vanguard had been forced to sign forms stating that it was against medical advice, even if he was at a stage where it shouldn’t be too dangerous for him to go home.

“He’s afraid Fushimi,” Kusanagi replied softly, his eyes soft behind his glasses although he was frowning slightly which suggested that he wasn’t entirely happy with the situation either.

“He said that…?” Fushimi asked quietly, his eyes narrowed as he glanced towards Misaki’s room, somewhat hurt that the vanguard hadn’t felt comfortable saying that to him. Although he knew that he would feel the same, given the state of their relationship before all of this and he let out a soft sigh before turning back to Kusanagi.  “Fine…” There was no way he could push the issue now, and he knew that there was no way that Anna or the rest of HOMRA would allow any harm to come to him when he was with them. _But still…_

“You’re welcome to visit,” Kusanagi pointed out cautiously, offering a rueful smile when Fushimi glanced at him sharply with a frown. His presence hadn’t been welcomed at the pub since the moment he’d left to join SCEPTER 4, and the older man had been one of those most against his presence, not that there had been many occasions when he’d wanted to visit.  “Yata wants you around, and at the moment I think fighting JUNGLE is more important than our old issues.” Besides it was clear that the Greens had decided to target Yata for some reason, so it made sense to keep someone who had a vested interest in keeping the vanguard safe nearby.

“I will,” Fushimi replied simply after a moment, the unspoken _‘thank you’_ clear in the air between them and Kusanagi nodded, knowing that he wouldn’t get anything more from the prickly Blue. It had surprised him that Fushimi had stuck around for so long, especially now that he was no longer required to deal with being Yata’s medical proxy, _which I still need to talk to Yata about._ Still, Anna seemed pleased with the fact that Blue was staying close, and Yata had been responding more positively towards his old friend than them at times over the last few days.

“I promise we’ll keep him safe,” Kusanagi felt compelled to say, and Fushimi stared at him intently for a moment before sighing and nodding. _I never really doubted that._ He would never say it aloud, but he knew that there was no way HOMRA would let something else happen to the vanguard once he was home. Instead, he settled for nodding before pushing himself away from the wall with a sigh, meeting Kusanagi’s gaze directly as he said softly.

“Tell Misaki I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“You’re leaving?” Kusanagi was somewhat surprised, having expected the Blue to want to make sure that everything ran smoothly, although he was aware that SCEPTER 4, in general, were run ragged at the moment. Seri had been keeping him informed, and he had been doing what he could to provide information on the Green clan, although some of their resources had dried up after Mikoto’s death and he had been splitting his time between the bar, fighting JUNGLE and the hospital.

“If Misaki’s going home then SCEPTER 4 can move on to protect other targets, and there are still some things I need to look into,” Fushimi replied grimly. Knowing that protecting the hospital had been straining his clan’s resources especially as JUNGLE had kept up their general harassment, and he had been slow in his own efforts to break into the Green clan’s system as he had been reluctant to be away from Misaki for long…

“I see. I’ll pass your message on,” Kusanagi promised, and with a small wave Fushimi turned and disappeared down the hallway. With a sigh the second-in-command turned away and headed towards Yata’s room, knowing that the vanguard was keen to leave as soon as possible and that there was no way that he was going to pay any attention to what the doctors were telling him.

**

    Yata was practically bouncing with excitement as he struggled to pay attention to what the doctor was telling him, relieved that Kusanagi was there listening intently as he was sure it was all going in one ear and out the other. He knew that it was important, especially if he wanted to heal up quickly and get back into action, but it was impossible to focus beyond the fact that he was finally getting out of the hospital, and that he was going home where he would be safe from JUNGLE. Just like that his excitement evaporated in the face of the reality behind his desire to go home, and he jerked back violently a moment later when he felt the doctor pat his shoulder as he finished his talk.

   Thankfully Kusanagi seemed to have picked up on the change in his mood, cheerfully stepping in and thanking the doctor and promising that they would make sure Yata followed all their instructions and made his appointments, all the while carefully steering the man out of the room. Once the doctor was gone, he turned back to look at the vanguard who had huddled into a defensive ball on the bed, his face a mask of misery as he peered up as Kusanagi headed back towards him, and the older man ached as he saw his expression.

“Come on let’s go home,” he said softly as he held a hand out to Yata, making sure to keep a small distance between them so that the vanguard could make the choice to reach out or not. There was a brief moment of hesitation before Yata reached out to grasp his hand with trembling fingers, carefully avoiding his gaze as the older man helped him off the bed, cautiously wrapping a supportive arm around the vanguard when he staggered slightly. And when Misaki’s voice came, it was barely above a whisper although the words gave Kusanagi a small flicker of hope.

“Yeah, let’s go home.”

****

“Yukari this game is boring…” Sukuna muttered as he watched the older man who was sat cross-legged in front of the sofa, carefully pulling petals of green roses and dropping them into a bag beside him as he hummed softly under his breath. Brown eyes flickered to meet his gaze for a moment as Yukari frowned briefly at him, pausing in his work before glancing up at Nagare and Mr Iwa who had also halted in their quiet conversation and letting out a soft sigh.

“You’re clearly too young to appreciate games like this,” Yukari replied with a small sniff as he turned back to their youngest member, who looked unimpressed with his response as he tapped his fingers impatiently against the games console lying abandoned by his feet.

“I don’t appreciate games like this because nothing happens in them,” Sukuna retorted, glancing across at the screens depicting the hospital before adding sharply. “Your gifts haven’t been getting through, and even our harassment seems to be doing little to bother them. Right Nagare?” He turned pleading eyes towards their King, hoping for agreement as he was on edge after days of doing little more than hanging around their base. With the main bounties deactivated there was little going on that matched his level or interests, and he was growing restless.

“I must admit I was expecting a little more from this game of yours,” Nagare said after a long moment, reaching up to gently pet Kotosaka as he fixed Yukari with a demanding gaze, the swordsman pouting as he caught the triumphant expression on Sukuna’s face.

“Ah, but its barely begun.”

“Don’t forget that the Silver King is our main interest,” Nagare reminded him with a hint of sharpness to his voice.

“I know Nagare-chan,” Yukari said soothingly, a small smile playing around his lips as he turned back to his previous work, running his fingers over one of the roses as he added softly. “But my little crow is flying home today, which means the fun can really begin.” In all honesty, he had been growing a little impatient himself, especially as Kuroh had been proving elusive as well, but one of their clansman in the hospital had passed on the news that the vanguard was being released early and all that had melted away. _Little Crow, you’ve made me wait long enough…_

“Does that mean you’re going to put a bounty on his head?” Sukuna asked eagerly, leaning forward as he licked his lips eagerly. He had been dismissive of the vanguard in the beginning after seeing the files on the clansman, but the fact that Yukari was so obsessed had aroused his interest, and he was keen to test himself against someone that the older man had fought but failed to kill.

“Not just yet,” Yukari replied with a quelling look, his eyes bright as he slowly and carefully pulled each petal off the rose he was holding as he added softly. “You don’t rush a masterpiece…but soon enough.”

****

     Fushimi scowled at the JUNGLE homepage that currently dominated his screen, it had been depressingly easy to get onto the network which provided access to all the currently active missions, with the harassment of the clans currently being top of the list along with bounties on most of their names, with Misaki’s still being conspicuously absent. Yet that was all that he had access to and everything he tried to get deeper into the site, even if he could only get the names of lower ranking clansmen were thwarted. _Just what kind of system is this?_ He had never encountered a system that he couldn’t break into before, and while before he would have relished the challenge, it was just grating on his nerves at the moment.

    The news that Misaki was scared - that JUNGLE had got to him that badly, had affected him far more than he wanted to admit. And while he doubted very much that there would be anything on the main JUNGLE system about that, it made him desperate to find something, no matter how small to show the vanguard that they were making progress. That the Greens did have some weakness. Gritting his teeth, he turned his attention back to the homepage, fingers flying over the keyboard as he studied the coding for the page, trying to find some weakness that he could exploit to get into the system. _There has to be a way in…there has to be…_

****

    Yata grinned wearily as he was ushered into the bar, managing to mask his flinch as the gathered HOMRA members cheered and yelled cheerful welcome backs, taking in the home-made banner that had been strung up behind the bar and the red balloons strewn in the corners, and he felt something in his chest easing at the sight. The journey back had taken a lot more out of him than he cared to admit, although Kusanagi had clearly cottoned on as he casually helped guide him across to one of the sofas. Thankfully not saying a word about the fact that Yata was leaning most of his weight against him or the relieved expression on his face when he was settled on the couch. It was clear that Anna had noticed as well as there was a worried frown on her face as she came across and settled into the chair beside him, reaching in to press a small kiss to his cheek, making him blush brightly.

“Welcome home Misaki.”

    The others were careful not to press to close, mindful of the fact that he was still healing and sensing Kusanagi’s dark gaze whenever they got too boisterous. Yet they kept the vanguard involved, not mentioning the way his attention would drift after a while or the way his gaze still lingered on the door too often, a slight hint of worry still in his eyes. However, it didn’t take long for Yata to visibly lose energy, his responses becoming slower and shorter as he fought to keep himself awake and gradually they began to drift away to the other tables, the noise dropping down to a soft background hum.

“Sorry,” Yata mumbled as he glanced around, realising that it was only him, Kamamoto, Anna and Kusanagi at their table now and quickly realised why they had disappeared. His expression fell slightly, not wanting the atmosphere to disappear as it had allowed him to forget the ever-present fear that had been dogging him in the hospital for a short while, although it had been getting harder for him to follow the conversations.

“Don’t apologise,” Anna scolded him quietly as she slipped onto the sofa beside him, tugging gently until he reluctantly allowed her to guide him downwards until he was lying side-wards, his head cushioned in her lap as she smiled down at him. “You’re still recovering, so no one’s expecting you to just bounce back to normal.”

“But…” _I want to,_ he added silently as he allowed his gaze to drift around the bar, lingering for a moment on the pictures on the far wall. _I failed last time, and I nearly failed again with you. I need to get stronger and fast…_ Still he knew better than to say any of that aloud when they were all watching him with worried eyes, although there was a knowing albeit slightly sad expression on Kusanagi’s face when their eyes met for a moment and Yata quickly glanced away, afraid that the older man would be able to see what he was truly thinking.

     Feeling Anna gently nudging his hat off he glanced up at her, unsure of what to make of the sad expression in her eyes and he opened his mouth to try and comfort her all the same, but she shook her head and pressed a finger against his lips to silence him. Uncertain he watched her for a few minutes longer, nearly jumping when he felt her beginning to comb through his hair, something which she had taken to doing in the hospital. The gentle touches and soothing motion were reassuring him, and he felt his eyes growing heavier even though he didn’t want to fall asleep. _I’m home,_ he thought with a sigh, the familiar smell of the bar and the muffled conversation around them making him relax further, and despite his determination to stay awake, he found himself drifting off.

“Shh Misaki’s fallen asleep,” Anna said softly as she glanced at Misaki resting in her lap a few minutes later. Her hands are gentle as she continued to play with his wayward hair, which was sticking in all directions now that it had been freed from his usual beanie, offering Kusanagi a grateful smile when he moved across and gently settled a blanket over the sleeping vanguard.

“Should he really be back already?” Kamamoto asked quietly with a worried frown, leaning in closer to study his friend although he was careful not to disturb Yata. “He still looks like hell.” It had been hard seeing his partner in the hospital, but in a way, it was worse seeing him still in this state in the safety of their base.

“Probably not,” Kusanagi admitted with a sigh, lingering next to the sofa as he gazed down at Yata. The vanguard was paler than he had been at the hospital, bruise-like black marks beneath each eye showing how little rest he’d been getting, and the bandage over the wound sticking out from beneath his collar. _He really does look like hell, perhaps we should have waited…_ He still wasn’t certain they had made the correct choice, although Yata was clearly more relaxed than he had been. “But he didn’t feel safe at the hospital, and it wasn’t helping his recovery.”

“He’s safe here,” Anna said fiercely, and there was a fire in her eyes as she glanced at them both before adding strongly.  “I won’t let anyone else hurt him!” She had always hated fighting, not understanding why Mikoto and the rest of HOMRA seemed to enjoy it so much, even when it was to protect something, but this time she felt the fire rushing through her. JUNGLE was targeting her clan, her Misaki, and she had the power to protect them.

“None of us will,” Kusanagi echoed her promise with a grim expression, toying with his lighter, while Kamamoto gave a grim nod of agreement, and she knew without looking that the others had been listening and were silently adding their agreement.

*

   Yata stirred sleepily as he felt himself being moved, reaching up to rub blearily at his eyes before stilling as he realised that his head was resting against Kusanagi’s shoulder as the older man carried him up the stairs, and he immediately felt his cheeks heating up.

“Wha…?”

“Shh I’m just taking you upstairs so that you’re more comfortable,” Kusanagi murmured reassuringly, tightening his hold when he felt Yata beginning to wiggle in an attempt to free himself, worried that he might end up dropping him if he wasn’t careful.

“I can walk,” Yata protested, even though he was overly confident that he could as he still felt completely drained even though he was sure that he must’ve been asleep for some time.

“Just be quiet and behave,” Kusanagi ordered, shooting him a warning glance when he opened his mouth intent on continuing his protests, and he subsided, knowing from experience that it wasn’t a good thing to push the older man when he was in his ‘mother hen’ mode.  “Let us look after you for once.”

“’Kay…”

“You’re in the room next to mine in case you need anything,” Kusanagi explained when they reached the landing. Yata tensed at once because that was Mikoto’s room, but he couldn’t find the words to argue, instead gripping tightly at the older man’s shirt as the barkeeper carefully opened the door and carried him inside.

    The room had always been rather plain as Mikoto had never seemed interested in putting his own mark on the place, it was enough that they had all known it was his, leaving him in peace when he was up there unless told otherwise. Still, Yata was convinced that he could still feel a bit of his former King in the room, and he swallowed hard, feeling guilty for still feeling so strongly about Mikoto when they had a new King - when he was supposed to be Anna’s shield.

“I know it’s not the best room, but Anna and Kamamoto are using the other ones at the moment, and I want you close in case anything happens,” Kusanagi said softly, thinking that Yata was just worried about being in the room that had been left largely untouched since Mikoto’s death.

“It’s okay…” Yata mumbled not wanting to go into his true thoughts and feeling more than a little embarrassed as he was carefully settled on the bed, the covers being carefully pulled over him as he instinctively snuggled into the comfort of the pillows. It was a relief to be away from the uncomfortable hospital bed even if he didn’t feel completely at ease using the room, and despite those feelings, he felt himself drifting off almost immediately. “Goodnight.” He managed to force out before his eyes closed once more, not feeling the hand that brushed gently through his hair before Kusanagi slipped quietly out of the room with a soft.

“Goodnight Yata-chan.”

****

The next morning:

    Yata stirred reluctantly as he felt warm sunlight coming in through the window, blinking as he opened his eyes and found the room much brighter than he’d expected. _How long did I sleep for?_ He felt better rested than he had for a while, although the thought that he’d slept so late was somewhat odd as he was used to getting up early, and he felt slightly guilty as he heard movement from down below indicating that the others were already up and doing stuff. While he knew that they were just trying to take care of him and that he was still far from back to normal, he wasn’t comfortable with just doing nothing.

    With that thought in mind, he sat up, only to freeze as his hands encountered something soft and silky that didn’t match the covers he knew were on the bed. A shiver went through him as he slowly glanced down, immediately feeling his breath catch in his throat as fear engulfed him.   

 


	4. Chapter 4

   The entire bed was strewn with green rose petals, and bile rose as he reached out to scoop up a handful with trembling fingers. _Why? How?_ The illusion of safety he had felt the night before shattered instantly and he flung the petals away from him, curling in on himself and wrapping his hands around his legs despite the pain it caused him as he tried to make himself as small as possible. There was a band of pressure across his chest, making it difficult to breathe and he let out a choked noise as he buried his head into his knees, trying to block everything out, but he couldn’t stop his thoughts from whirling around in his head.

_They were in here…he was in here…while I was sleeping…_

   He was shaking violently at that thought, swallowing hard as the urge to throw up grew even stronger, and he knew that he should call for the others, that they needed to know what was going on, but he couldn’t force the words out. Hot tears trickled down his cheeks, and nothing he did seemed to stop them, and he sniffled as he weakly raised his head, hoping against hope that it was just a nightmare or a figment of his imagination. However, they were still there, innocuous and yet threatening at the same time and he sobbed as he glanced around warily. _What if he’s still here? What if it isn’t the others downstairs_?

Spotting the glass of water that someone had left on the bedside table for him he lunged towards it, praying that someone would hear the noise as he swept it onto the floor, flinching as the noise of it shattering grated on his already taut nerves. Immediately there was a break in the chatter from downstairs, and after a minute he could hear movement on the stairs, and he instinctively drew back into his protective huddle, his earlier thoughts clambering for his attention. _What if…?_

“Yata…”  Kusanagi burst into the room a moment later with a panicked expression, only to come up short as his gaze settled on the scattered rose petals, the panic morphing to fury at the sight of the green. “What the hell…?” He trailed off, anger forgotten as he got a proper look at Yata, his heart aching as he realised that the vanguard was trembling and crying looking far smaller than he was and he wanted to curse at the realisation that Yata’s sanctuary had just been violated.

“Ku…sanagi-san,” Yata managed to choke out, the sight of the older man loosening the lump in his throat enough for him to finally speak, but he didn’t even know how to put into words everything that was swirling around inside him right now.  “I…They…” He trailed off, shaking his head helplessly as he stared pleadingly at Kusanagi hoping that he would understand, that he would know what to do because Yata didn’t have a clue at the moment.

    Kusanagi drew in a deep breath, realising that he had to be calm at the moment as it was clear that the Yata was falling apart, not that he could blame him. _We should have prevented this,_ he thought bitterly as he recalled his promise to Fushimi that they would be able to keep Yata safe, it had been less than a day since he’d come home and they’d already failed. Still, he forced those thoughts aside for the time being as he began to cautiously inch towards the bed, trying desperately not to spook the already terrified vanguard, but although Yata was watching his every move with wary eyes, he made no protest or effort to escape.

“Okay, calm down,” Kusanagi kept his voice soft and soothing as he crouched down beside the bed, reaching out slowly and resting his hand against Yata’s arm, struggling to keep his expression calm as he felt the force of the tremors rocking the vanguard. Yata let out a soft whimper, and the noise made him close his eyes for a moment, before he gently tugged the Yata off the bed, hastily wrapping Yata’s shoulders when the vanguard swayed and threatened to collapse. “Come on let’s get you out of here alright?” He waited long enough to get a tiny nod of acknowledgement before gently beginning to steer him towards the door, glaring venomously at the green petals as they left. _You won’t get away with this…_

   Yata tried desperately to gather his strength so that he could carry his own weight, but his body wouldn’t cooperate, and he found himself leaning heavily against the older man as he was led down the stairs. Part of him wanted to protest. He didn’t feel like he could cope with being around anyone else at the moment, but at the same time the thought of being on his own terrified him, and he bit his lip as he felt a fresh sob welling up. _I want this to be over…_ He had come home in the hopes of driving out the fear that had haunted him in the hospital, but now he felt more afraid than ever. No, this was worse, because it felt like something precious had been taken away from him, and he wasn’t sure that it was something he would be able to regain.

*

   They were greeted at the bottom of the stairs by a worried looking Anna and Kamamoto, and Kusanagi felt how the vanguard flinched away from them, burrowing into his side as though he could hide and all he could do was tighten his arm around Yata. _I’m so sorry Yata._ It was clear that they had picked up on the reaction as they moved back to give them space, although Anna had a reluctant expression on her face, and there was a hint of fire in her eyes as she glanced between them before demanding.

“What happened?”

“We had a visit from JUNGLE during the night,” Kusanagi replied, gently shushing Yata when the vanguard couldn’t quite hold back a quiet whimper, seeing the pain that flared across Anna’s face at the reaction although it was quickly buried beneath a furious scowl. Kamamoto was scowling fiercely as he glanced up towards the upstairs, before turning back and shooting him a questioning look. “In Mikoto’s old room.” Without a word, the burlier man moved passed them and headed up the stairs to see for himself, and Kusanagi sighed, relieved that at least the rest of HOMRA were still to arrive for the day otherwise he’d probably have a riot on his hands.

     Carefully he led an unresisting Yata across to the same couch he’d been on last night, hoping against hope that the memories of the previous night would help to chase away some of the terror. However, the moment the vanguard was settled, and he’d removed his supportive hand, Yata curled into one of the corners, arms wrapping defensively around himself as he once again tried to make himself as small as possible. Jumping violently when Kamamoto came back down the stairs a couple of minutes later, a grim expression on his face, and his fists clenched angrily at his side with a hint of his aura playing across his skin, although he visibly tried to calm himself after a brief glance at Yata.

 “Misaki?” Anna asked softly as she settled on the couch beside him, struggling not to react as he flinched away from her again and sharing a grim look with Kusanagi before she slowly pressed herself against his side, giving him time to protest if he wanted. When he didn’t, she reached out and gently grasped his hand, letting a little of her aura flare to warm his chilly skin as she squeezed it, before adding quietly and with more than a little guilt in her voice. “I’m so sorry Misaki, I promised that you would be safe here.”

“I-it’s not your f-fault,” Yata managed to say as he caught the guilty tone and the pain in her gaze as he finally raised his head to look at her. Fear was still coursing through him, and he wanted to scream and shout at his own weakness…but he couldn’t bear the thought of Anna trying to blame herself for what had happened.  “J-just the G-greens being jerks.” _It was just a prank - a nasty joke…_ He added to himself, trying to convince himself that it meant nothing, but the tremors seemed to intensify if anything and to his shame he found himself shifting closer to Anna for comfort.

“This is bad Kusanagi-san,” Kamamoto whispered grimly as he watched Anna increased her aura to try and comfort Misaki, his expression more serious that Kusanagi had ever seen it before as his gaze slid to Yata. “He looked a lot happier last night, and now this.” _Yata-san…_ He had known from the visits to the hospital and how Yata had acted the night before, that the vanguard was even more shaken by everything that had happened than he was letting on, and he was terrified that this would be the thing that proved too much and he feared what his partner might do if it was.

“I know,” Kusanagi said with a heavy sigh, briefly clasping the younger man on the shoulder, unsure of which of them he was trying to reassure. After a moment though he straightened, and his expression slipped into a calm, businesslike mask although his eyes remained stormy as he stepped away. “Stay with them I’m going to call Fushimi.”  

“Fushimi?”

“He needs to know what’s happened and he might have a better chance of calming Yata down,” Kusanagi explained, pulling a face at the last bit, as he still wasn’t comfortable with placing so much trust on the prickly Blue even if Anna seemed unbothered by it. “Besides he said that he’d visit today, and I don’t want him walking in on this.” There was no way this conversation was going to go well, but at least that way he could hopefully avoid any heated discussions in front of Yata.

“Alright,” Kamamoto nodded in understanding before cautiously moving forward to join the other two, noting how Yata curled closer to Anna at his approach with a pained expression although he didn’t comment on the reaction.

    Kusanagi waited until they were settled before moving away to retrieve his cell-phone before heading up the stairs, not wanting the conversation to be overheard…and knowing that someone needed to clean up the rose petals, although he had a feeling that they wouldn’t be able to convince Yata to go back into that room again. _Damn it, what do they even want with him?_ He snarled angrily under his breath as he strode into what had been Mikoto’s room, the sight of the green petals adding fuel to his temper, and for a moment his fingers played with his lighter the temptation to burn it all rising to the surface. It was only when the flame flickered to life that he came back to his senses, and with a sigh, he closed the lighter and slipped it back into his pocket. _I can’t lose my cool now…_ Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention back to his phone, quickly finding Fushimi’s number and dialling it, praying that the Blue would answer and allow him to explain before going off the deep end.

_“Fushimi Speaking…”_

**

    Fushimi sighed with exasperation as he found himself once again booted from the JUNGLE network, a gif of the parrot laughing at him filling up the screen for the tenth time that day and he was hard pressed not to lash out at the machine, instead scowling fiercely at it as he fiddled with one of his knives. _There has to be a way in…_ He had combed through every report they had so far, but everything was too vague, especially as whenever they apprehended one of the JUNGLE members their powers were stripped from them, but he refused to believe that the information he needed wasn’t out there somewhere. Mainly because if he did, he would have to admit that he couldn’t do anything to protect Misaki and there was no way he was going to let it come to that.

“No progress Fushimi-kun?” Munakata’s voice rang out, but Fushimi merely tilted his head to glance towards his King having felt his aura approaching, and he smirked slightly as he caught the disappointed expression on the man’s face.  However, as the question registered his smirk disappeared, and he sighed slightly before turning his chair so that he was facing the older man.

“No,” He admitted reluctantly, unused to not even being able to produce partial results for his King, and his eyes narrowed as he searched for any hint of disappointment in the blue eyes studying him, but all he could find was calm interest and a hint of concern.  “Whoever is in charge of their security is ridiculously good.” The words tasted bitter in his mouth, but he couldn’t deny the truth of them, and it made him even more curious as to what the Green clan had been up to in the years since their last appearance, but again that information was locked behind the network that he could barely touch.

“Better than you?” Munakata asked calmly with an arched eyebrow, and Fushimi huffed in annoyance as he heard the challenge within his King’s words.

“Of course not,” he denied instantly, fighting back a growl at the triumphant expression that flickered across his King’s face at his retort, taking a small breath to calm himself before continuing.  “I’ll…” His next words were cut off by his cell beginning to ring, and he pulled it out, eyes narrowing as he recognised the caller i.d. and he glanced up in question.

“Go ahead,” Munakata granted with a nod, moving to the other side of the room to give him at least the illusion of privacy. Fushimi sighed wishing that he could just outright ask him to leave but deciding that the argument wasn’t worth having and instead, he just flipped his phone open.

“Fushimi speaking.”

_“Fushimi it’s Kusanagi, something’s happened can you get here as soon as possible?”_

“What happened?” Fushimi demanded, divided between annoyance at the call and the fact that HOMRA for all their promises had allowed something to happen…and concern as he had never heard the older man sound so openly furious before, the latter growing when there was a pause as though Kusanagi was trying to work out what to say. “Is Misaki okay?” As long as the vanguard was okay, they could deal with anything else that came his way. However, even that brief spark of optimism faded when there was a sharp intake of breath before the older man quietly replied.

_“No…”_

“Tell me…” Fushimi ordered.

_“JUNGLE were here, or at least Mishakuji Yukari,”_ Kusanagi hesitated for a moment as though waiting for an explosion, but Fushimi had gone rigid instead, his eyes cold as he gripped the knife he had been playing with earlier. _I should never have left his side…_ Naively he had allowed himself to hope that being with HOMRA would offer the vanguard greater protection, and he had let his guard down.

“What did they do?”

_“They got into Yata’s room last night and covered his bed in green rose petals. He’s not doing well.”_ Fushimi closed his eyes briefly at that, _of course, he isn’t - you said he was already afraid and he was counting on us to protect him._ As much as he wanted to blame HOMRA, to blame Kusanagi, he knew that all of them had been overconfident - they had underestimated the Greens and Yukari’s obsession with Yata, and it was Misaki that was having to pay the price. Still, he couldn’t hold in all his irritation towards the Reds.

“You promised you would keep him safe!” Fushimi was vaguely aware of Munakata turning around to look at him as his voice rose, but he couldn’t bring himself to care, all he could focus on in that instance was the memory of Misaki lying pale and still in the hospital bed for so long.

_“I know,”_ Kusanagi sounded weary and defeated, and that helped to douse the Blue’s ire, instead increasing his concern over the entire situation. They couldn’t afford for HOMRA to be out of commission at the moment, not when they were barely holding their own against the Greens bullying tactics.However, his thoughts about the situation as a whole stuttered to a halt with Kusanagi’s next words. _“Just please get here as soon as you can. He needs you.”_ Once upon a time, those words would have made him happy and triumphant, but now he would quite happily give up their odd closeness since the Tower if only to have the strong, happy Yata back. _But wishes won’t get us anywhere…_ he thought bitterly, knowing that if they did, then the problems between him and Misaki would have been solved long ago without needing a near-death experience to begin bridging that gap.

_“Fushimi?”_

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Fushimi replied realising that he must have been lost in his thoughts for longer than he thought, but there was no hesitation in his response, even as he felt Munakata’s gaze burning into him from the other side of the room. _Sorry, but Misaki comes first at the moment…_

_“Thank you.”_

      The phone clicked softly as the older man hung up and Fushimi stared at it for a moment, Kusanagi must be really stressed if he was that abrupt on the phone. Even when it came to a traitor like him, the second-in-command was unfailingly calm and polite, and the shift in behaviour was more than a little concerned. Closing the phone, he slipped it away into his pocket before carefully storing his knife beside it, reaching out to retrieve his sword as he rose from his desk, the open laptop in front of him completely forgotten in the face of the current situation.

“Fushimi-kun?” Munakata’s voice was uncommonly gentle, and he blinked when he found that the Blue King had moved to stand in front of the desk and was now studying him with open concern.  “What happened?”  Fushimi’s first instinct was to brush him off, after all, he didn’t have the time to waste, but then he recalled how accommodating the older man had been recently and he let out a defeated sigh before replying grimly.

“Mishakuji Yukari…” Hatred and fury churned in his stomach, and it took him a moment to force it back before he was able to reply even marginally civilly. “He went after Misaki again.” He didn’t care that he was being unprofessional and allowing past friendships to influence his actions at the moment, if the older man didn’t like it he could always suspend him, _as long as I can protect Misaki it doesn’t matter._ That wasn’t strictly true he admitted to himself as he felt his fingers curling defensively around the hilt of his sword, as though fearing it might be taken away at any second.

“I see,” Munakata replied after a moment, wondering if the younger man knew just how open his expression was at the moment. Part of him was pleased to see the openness, as it was usually impossible to get a proper read on Fushimi, even for him who knew the younger man better than anyone else in SCEPTER 4, but on the other hand, he lamented the cause of this emotional vulnerability. “I’ll inform Miss Awashima,” he settled for saying, knowing that there was no way he had the heart to stop Fushimi from going to HOMRA at the moment, and he almost smiled at the startled look Fushimi shot him before nodding in thanks before practically bolting for the door, only to halt as he reached it.

“I should warn you…”

“About?” Munakata deliberately kept his voice calm, even though he had a good idea about what Fushimi was about to say. Knowing that he should stop him, that it was something that he shouldn’t Fushimi to even contemplate let alone get the chance to do, but something, a flash of crimson in his peripheral vision stopped him from speaking.

“I am going to kill him,” Fushimi’s voice was glacial, his back rigid as he made no effort to turn towards the Blue King even when he heard the older man’s intake of breath, instead allowing blue and red to flare briefly around himself as he added grimly. “Mishakuji Yukari is a Deadman.” _It’s a promise…_

“I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“It’s too late,” Fushimi replied bluntly as he caught the quiet whisper, and then he was out of the door and running down the corridor, worried that he had already wasted too much time when Misaki was waiting for him, and Munakata sighed as the door shut behind the younger man.

_Chaos - why am I getting sucked into your world Suoh? How do I keep them safe, when my power might soon be the threat they face?_

****

    Kuroh growled as he caught the bat swinging towards his head, silver eyes glittering as he tossed the man back with a brief flare of purple before slamming his arm back to catch the other one who had been trying to sneak up on him. He didn’t even wait for the man to crumple before moving on, keeping half an eye on Neko who was running circles around the Greens that had decided to try and encircle her, giggling wildly as she twisted the world around them until they were fighting each other. Satisfied that she was safe he refocused on taking out the others, but his mind wasn’t on the battle, but on the reasons behind it. _It’s too easy…_ The attacks from JUNGLE had been increasing in frequency and intensity, and yet they were still far from the level that they were capable of dealing with and he couldn’t help but feel that it was deliberate, _and that’s why I’m worried._

   Back in the Tower, they had seemed intent on learning whether the Silver King - whether Shiro was still alive, and yet over the past couple of weeks, they seemed to have abandoned that hunt. Yet the fact that they were still being attacked contradicted that, it was as though they were waiting for something. He didn’t know what, and they still hadn’t found any clues to the location of their King, with only the briefest of glimpses through Anna’s marble giving them hope that he might really be alive.

    Then there was Mishakuji Yukari. He had never thought that he would encounter the older man again, and he had been perfectly happy with that belief. A feeling only increased by the fact that despite the progress that he felt he’d met, he’d not stood a chance against the other swordsman. He’d been waiting on tenterhooks since then, expecting the now Green clansman to come after him at least once so that he could reinforce the differences between them - but nothing. Instead, it seemed that Yukari had developed a new obsession for the HOMRA vanguard, something that he knew couldn’t bode well for the hot-headed Crow. Both he and Neko had helped to guard the hospital, and he had given both SCEPTER 4 and HOMRA what he knew about Yukari, but it wasn’t enough, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something else was going to happen, and soon.

    Downing another Green he was turning to assist Neko when he became aware that the JUNGLE members were beginning to back away, and he whirled around, eyes widening as they fell on Neko who was clutching what looked to be a parrot plushie with a curious expression on her face. Even before it began to swell he was moving, hand outstretched as he desperately tried to reach the Strain before it was too late.

“Neko!”

****

   Yata had barely begun to calm down when Kusanagi finally returned from upstairs, a bag cradled in his hands, and the vanguard tensed as he realised what was inside even as he silently scolded himself for fearing such a thing. _But he was..._ He couldn’t even gather the strength to lie to himself at the moment, let alone the others as he leant against Anna who had also tensed at the sight of the bag, Kamamoto having quietly filled her in on what had happened upstairs. He could feel their eyes on him as the second-in-command hastily moved to dump the bag in the bin, and he found himself unable to bear the thought of meeting their gazes, instead fixating his gaze on the floor as he tried uselessly to will the fear away.

     The pub which had once been more a home to him than anywhere else now felt dark and threatening, and he felt as though there was a veil between him and the warmth of HOMRA’s red even with Anna sat so close that it would have been impossible to slide a piece of paper between them. He wanted to leave, to get away from this feeling, but the thought of being outside in the open and vulnerable made him shudder, but more than that he was worried that if he left now, he might not be able to bring himself to come back. Even with his current feelings towards the place, he didn’t want to lose it, and so he forced himself to stay where he was, barely aware of the concerned eyes still watching him, or Anna’s quiet voice as she tried to snap him out of his thoughts.

*

    He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sat like that, thoughts and fears chasing one another endlessly in circles in his mind, barely resisting the urge to flee despite his previous determination to stay put. But he was forcefully jolted back into the present when the front door slammed open, and he couldn’t hold back the frightened noise that rose in his throat, only Anna wrapping her arms around his arm stopping him from bolting. Almost at once his feelings flipped from being dominated by fear, to being mainly shame and embarrassment as he realised that yet again he was the one needing to be protected. Swallowing hard he gently pushed her away, carefully avoiding her gaze as he did so, the logical part of him knowing that she didn’t think him weak and that she was just trying to help, but he wasn’t feeling very logical at that moment.

    Instead, he turned to look towards the door, stilling as he realised who had just charged in through the door, his eyes wide as he met Fushimi’s gaze. Distantly he noted how frazzled and worried the taller man looked, but all he could focus on was the way the ball of fear in his chest had loosened slightly at the sight of the Blue, just as it had in the hospital. Yata was torn between laughter and the urge to weep as he realised that at somewhat he had come to associate the other with safety. _I find the traitor safer than my King, what the hell am I thinking? What am I doing?_ He was unaware of the fact that fresh tears had begun to trickle down his cheeks, or the slightly hysterical, whispery giggles that were bubbling up displaying his feelings for the others to see.

    Fushimi hesitated for a moment, having half-expected, or hoping, that Misaki would have calmed down by the time he arrived so that he could focus on dealing with the threat. However, it was clear that Misaki was falling apart at the seams right in front of his eyes, and it seemed as though the vanguard wasn’t even fully aware of it. Exchanging a wide-eyed look with Anna and Kamamoto who were hovering helplessly next to the Crow, and glaring briefly at Kusanagi by the bar he moved forwards. This was outside his comfort area, but there was no way he could stand by when Misaki was in this kind of state, and he whispered thanks as the Reds moved aside to give him room.

“Misaki?” He called softly as he crouched in front of the vanguard, reaching out to gently touch the others cheek in the hope of bringing him back to the present, but there wasn’t even a flicker of reaction, and he sighed. He was uncomfortably aware of the other eyes fixated on him, but he forced that feeling down, instead reaching out and wrapping his arms around the trembling Crow. For a moment he kept his hold loose to give Misaki the chance to escape if he wanted, but the vanguard had simply tensed at the sensation, and so he gently tightened the hug. “Misaki I’m here, calm down.” He couldn’t miss the irony of him saying that when not long ago he had almost constantly been doing everything in his power to rile the other.

“Saru…?” Yata whispered uncertainly after a long moment, sitting rigidly in the other’s hold, wanting to lean into the offered comfort but worried about what Fushimi would think of him if he did. And what the others would think of him for turning to someone he had claimed to hate barely a month before for comfort, when he had barely been able to let them close. _Saru…_ His mind flashed back to the sight of Saruhiko standing protectively over him in the tower, the blue light of the shield that had protected him fading away and he longed to reach out and accept that protection again, but he couldn’t bring himself to move.

“Misaki it’s okay,” Anna whispered softly, her eyes glittering with her own tears as she guessed what he was thinking and laying a gentle hand on his shoulder for a moment. “Let him help you if that’s what you need.” Privately she hated the thought that she wasn’t able to help Misaki on her own, but this wasn’t something where her powers would help. And at the moment she got the feeling that what he really needed was the comfort of a friendship that had once existed completely separate from Kings and Clans -before all the pain of recent events. “We’ll leave you two in peace,” she added as she rose gracefully to her feet, meeting Fushimi’s stunned gaze for a moment before she moved away, grabbing Kamamoto as she passed and pulling him after her. Kusanagi getting the hint and following silently as she led the way upstairs, leaving the two one-time rivals alone in the bar.

*

    Feeling his knees beginning to ache Fushimi slowly began to rise, never once releasing his hold on the smaller man who had whimpered at the threatened loss of comfort, and instead settling beside Misaki on the couch and gently pulling the vanguard so that his head was resting against his chest. It was something he could remember doing years ago when Misaki had gone through a patch of being bullied at school, his small size and lack of fighting skills back then leaving him vulnerable. More than once he had been forced to actively step in to defend Yata, but more often than not he was the one that Misaki would seek out for comfort. He had always known, and they’d retreated to their quiet spot on the roof and sat like this, waiting until Misaki had calmed down and got his mask back in place. Fushimi had thought those days were long gone, and yet at the moment, it felt as though all the distance that had formed since then had just dissolved into nothingness, although he knew that wasn’t true.

“I want it to stop.” Misaki’s quiet whisper startled him, and he glanced down with a frown as he heard the pain and sheer weariness in the other’s voice, his eyes darkening as he gathered the vanguard even closer as he felt him trembling worse than ever.

“I know,” Fushimi said heavily.  “I’m going to stop it.”

“How?” Yata demanded quietly, pulling back just enough so that he could peer up at Fushimi, his eyes red-rimmed and shadowed as he continued softly.  “Anna was here…Kusanagi-san was here, and yet they still got in! I don’t even know what he wants?!” It was that more than anything that scared him about the situation - he didn’t understand why he was being targeted, well aware that there were far more important targets out there, especially within HOMRA. If he just had a reason then maybe, just maybe it would make the situation more bearable, yet it was clear from Fushimi’s expression that he didn’t have a clue either and he sighed before glancing away. _See Saru, even you can’t help me at the moment._

“Misaki!” Fushimi called urgently, waiting until Misaki had reluctantly lifted his head to look at him again, reaching up to carefully brush some of the still falling tears away before meeting and holding his gaze without hesitation, his voice low and steady. “I promise you I am going to find a way to destroy him! I just need you to hang on until then!” He knew that Munakata had been shocked by his earlier declaration and would likely do everything in his power to make sure it couldn’t happen, but seeing the brief flicker of painful hope in Misaki’s eyes, he knew that he would never regret either promise. _And I’ll do everything in my power to make sure I keep them…_

“But…” Misaki hesitated, wanting desperately to believe Fushimi, seeing the sincerity in the dark eyes that met his and the determined set to the Blue’s face.  “What if I can’t?”

“You can,” Fushimi said with complete certainty, offering a terse attempt at a smile when Misaki gaped wide-eyed at him, having clearly never expected such a quick response to his question and the Blue was quick to take advantage of the shocked silence knowing that Yata would misinterpret any hesitation at the moment.  “You’re Yatagasaru aren’t you? HOMRA’s vanguard? Anna’s shield?” Hated titles, words that had ultimately helped to drive the wedge between them, but ones that he was suddenly afraid that Misaki was going to forget or throw away in his current fearful state.

“I was…”

“You still are,” Fushimi cut across him, determined not to give him the chance to focus on the negative again, and refusing to believe that something like this could truly change Misaki.   “Nothing that has happened changes any of that, and I know that the Misaki I grew up would never let someone like Mishakuji Yukari stop him!” When they were younger, they had both thought that they were invincible as long as they were together, but then when Fushimi had left, they had both been forced to become independently strong. And no matter how he might taunt the older man, he knew that in a way Misaki was far stronger than he was because he trusted and let others in and took those bonds as a reason to fight, and he didn’t want that to disappear. He didn’t think it was possible for that to disappear.

“I don’t want to,” Yata admitted softly, and there was a hint of his usual self in his eyes for a moment as he met Fushimi’s gaze. It helped to know that someone still saw him as he had been, although he couldn’t help but want to laugh at the fact that it was Fushimi of all people that was still saying this. However, his humour faded just as quickly as it had appeared, as his hand crept up to rest over the still-healing wound, avoiding the Blue’s attempt to stop him as he added softly. “But I wasn’t strong enough to fight him the first time, and now…” He wasn’t a fool, even when the wound was fully healed there was no way he was going to be ready to just leap back into battle, even if he wanted to when the time came, and even if he could, nothing had really changed from that moment in the Tower. He hadn’t grown stronger physically, or more powerful, he would still fight exactly the same - _and I will lose again._

“You’re still recovering,” Fushimi pointed out quietly, reluctantly sitting back, although he was relieved that Misaki didn’t panic at the increased distance although his hand still clutched lightly at Fushimi’s arm as though to stop him running away. Even after all this time on opposite sides, he could still read Misaki better than most, and he knew what was bothering the vanguard…and he hesitated for a moment before giving voice to the idea that had occurred to him a few days ago.   “But…when you’ve got the clear from the doctors, why don’t you start learning at least the basics of sword fighting?”  He hesitantly reached down to pat his sword, and Misaki’s eyes widened as he realised that he was serious, and he threw the vanguard a brief dark look. _Since when do I ever joke around Misaki?_

“But…”

“Yukari is a swordsman, it makes sense to be able to fight on his turf,” Fushimi explained, although he knew that it would take a long time and a lot of practice for Misaki to even get close to a level where he could fight like that. But if nothing else it would give the vanguard something to focus on the - a goal to reach that would hopefully ease him past his current fears.  “And I know it’s not like your usual way of fighting, but that just means you’ll surprise him.” He knew from experience how the slightest element of surprise could change the course of a fight, _how often have I used the fact that I can use red and blue to surprise an opponent?_ _Come on Misaki…_

“You’re willing to teach me?” Yata asked hesitantly, before glancing away and mumbling.  “Or…”

“I’ll teach you,” Fushimi replied, slightly too quickly as he realised that he’d cut the other off, and he coughed before glancing away as he added shortly.  “It’ll make our fights more interesting as well.” _Not that I really want to go back to fighting you,_ he admitted to himself at least. The sight of Misaki so close to death in the Tower had been more than enough for him, and he knew that there was always going to be a risk that it could happen again, especially with the way their fights had escalated over the past few months. However, he had said it because he sensed that Misaki needed at least the illusion that all normalcy would resume with time.

“Okay…” It was soft and hesitant, and Fushimi would have missed it if he hadn’t been watching Yata’s every move, but there was determination in the hazel eyes that rose to meet his and a hint of the fire that he had always associated with Misaki, long before HOMRA. “I want to try!” He was still afraid…he knew that there was every chance JUNGLE, and Yukari would come after him again, and that it was clear that his friends couldn’t protect him against that no matter how much they might wish too…and he wasn’t sure that he could handle what was going to be thrown with him, at least not at the moment. _But…_ the fact that there was something for him to aim for, someone that believed he could still be the old Yata made him feel stronger than he had in a while and his lips twitched up in a weak imitation of his usual smile. “I want to fight!”


	5. Chapter 5

    Yata shifted uneasily on the bed, his eyes flicking nervously between the bedroom door and the window before his gaze turned back to the night lamp. He felt foolish needing to sleep with the light on, something that he hadn’t needed to do since he was tiny, and yet every time he tried to sleep without it, he found himself descending into a panic. Not even allowing his aura to play around him until he fell asleep had worked and that bothered him more than the reliance on the night light. He still wasn’t finding the same comfort that he once had from their red, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was slowly slipping away. Even though he’d been spending every day and night surrounded by HOMRA members as they refused to risk him going home just yet, not that he’d tried to push the issue again.

“This is ridiculous,” he muttered as he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, reaching up to rub at his chest even though the wound was mainly healed at this stage, although the scar was still sensitive to the touch and could send phantom flashes of pain through him at the worst moments. His hand froze as the memory of Yukari’s blade sliding into his flesh flashed through his mind, and he tensed, biting down hard on his lip to stop himself from making noise even as he tried to make himself calm down. He knew that the blade wasn’t there anymore. That the wound was virtually healed although the scar was going to remain, and yet that didn’t help him with the fear currently coursing through him, and this time he was unable to hold back another whimper as he curled defensively in on himself. “Stop...just please stop,” he wanted the memories to go away, to just be able to forget what had happened, but the more he tried to push them away from the more they forced themselves into the forefront of his mind.

   In a frantic attempt to drive them out he reached out a shaking hand and switched off the light, plunging himself and the room into darkness. For a brief, blessed moment his mind went blank, and the sensation of the blade in his chest disappeared, and a soft sigh of relief escaped as he finally stopped biting his lower lip, grimacing as he realised that he’d made himself bleed as he caught the taste of copper in his mouth. It was just as he reaching up to brush away the blood that he froze, the realisation that he was surrounded by darkness flooding him and he felt his breath catch in his chest. It wasn’t the dark that he feared, but the idea that somewhere out there the Greens – that Yukari…. could be watching or planning to slip into the room once more, and a full-body shudder went through him, and he tried desperately to make out the window and the doorway through the darkness.

    His breathing was coming faster as he realised that he couldn’t make anything out, and he only just managed to hold in a startled cry when his nervous movements drew a creak out of the bed beneath him, and he could feel his cheeks beginning to burn with humiliation despite his fear. _Damn it…Damn it…_ Panicking he fumbled in the dark for the light switch, missing several times and he was just about to give in to the urge to shout for someone when he finally managed to find it, blinking as light immediately flooded the room once more. Sucking in a steadying breath he checked the window and door, before letting his gaze move around the room as he searched for the slightest evidence of someone else having been in the room, but nothing was out of place, and he let out a sigh. _Idiot…what are you getting so worked up about? You’d have heard them if someone was here…you were asleep last time…_

Sniffling slightly, he burrowed back under the covers, forcefully linking his hands together as he found himself reaching up to the scar once more. _Stop just stop…_ He pleaded as he squeezed his eyes shut, unsure of whether he was talking to himself or JUNGLE at this stage, feeling a by now familiar stinging in his eyes and burying his face into the pillow in an attempt to hold the tears back. It was getting harder and harder to pretend that he was alright during the day, and worse it was affecting his performance in the handful of practice sessions he’d had with Fushimi. It was hard to focus, and his movements were stilted and awkward, and while the Blue hadn’t said anything yet, Yata knew that he wouldn’t hold his tongue for much longer, and what could he say? _I’m sorry, but I can’t sleep because I’m scared of the dark? I can’t turn the light off at night because every time I turn it off, I imagine that he’s in the room with me?_ He snorted out something that was half a bitter laugh and half-choked sob, there was no way he could say that to Saru or the others.

_What am I supposed to do?_

**

   Kusanagi sighed as he heard the restless movements from the room next to his, glancing at his clock and realising that it was nearing two in the morning and the vanguard still hadn’t managed to drop off. Not that this was a new occurrence, the teen had barely been sleeping since the morning he’d woken to find his bed strewn with rose petals, not that he could really blame him as that had set them all on edge. And it didn’t help that they had received more gifts since then. Although thankfully those had all arrived by post and had been easy enough to dispose of, although more than once they had come while Yata was down in the main bar. And while the vanguard had done an admirable job of masking his fear and stress whenever new ones arrived, he couldn’t hide the increasing shadows in his eyes, or his increased wariness when people came in and out of the bar. _How many times did I scold him for not being more aware of what was happening around him?_

   Hearing something that sounded like a choked sob through the wall he slowly sat up on the bed, contemplating his options. The teen had been growing increasingly prickly when it came to any of them offering him comfort, including Fushimi although he still seemed to welcome the Blue’s companionship with slightly more warmth than he embraced theirs. Something that Kusanagi was still wary of, well aware that Yata had always missed his former friend far more than he had let on, and worried that if Fushimi walked out on him again or the rough alliance between the clans collapsed it would be the thing that pushed the vanguard over the edge he was still hovering on. Shaking his head to clear the unhelpful thoughts out of the way he tilted his head towards the wall, listening intensely for any follow-up noises before he made a decision.

    There were no more audible sobbing noises, but after a few minutes, he heard faint movements as though the teen was settling down in the bed once more, although he doubted very much that Yata would be going to sleep anytime soon. He waited for nearly ten minutes, debating whether or not to go and check on the younger man, before ultimately deciding that he had left it far too long and that any interference at this stage would be unwelcome. If it would’ve been welcomed in the first place, he thought with a grimace as he slowly settled himself back under his own covers, knowing that regardless of his own worries he needed to rest as they had no idea what the next day would bring and he had to be ready for whatever JUNGLE threw at them next. However, it was nearly an hour later that he finally dropped off through sheer exhaustion, well aware that next door Yata was still fighting against the pull of sleep.

****

    Kusanagi was exhausted the next morning although he carefully hid it behind his usual expression as he made breakfast for himself and Anna, before starting to set the bar up for the day, deliberately keeping the noise down for fear of disturbing Yata. The teen who’d always been an early riser had taken to coming down later and later, although he suspected that part of that was in the hopes of avoiding the arrival of ‘gifts’ even though it had failed more than once. Anna seemed content to sit at the bar and study her marbles, and he wondered what she was looking for, however, there was something in her closed off expression that stopped him from asking.

   It was just after ten when Kamamoto appeared, his expression darkening as he realised that there was no sign of his partner, but he didn’t say anything as he moved to join Anna at the bar where he was welcomed with a warm smile as she hastily pocketed her marbles.

“Any sign of trouble?” Kusanagi asked as he paused in his preparations for the day, knowing that the younger man must’ve have taken a brief look around the neighbourhood as he’d arrived later than usual, praying that they were going to have a break from JUNGLE causing trouble in their territory. It seemed as though the Greens had inexhaustible numbers, while HOMRA and its allied clans had a finite number of people at their disposal and they were all spread thin at the moment.

“Not yet, although I saw a SCEPTER 4 van on the main road, but it was heading in the opposite direction to us,” Kamamoto replied with a sigh, and the older man nodded with a mix of relief and worry, making a mental note to check in with Awashima later.

“That’s a relief, we could really use a br…” He trailed off as there was a soft thud from upstairs, and they all looked upwards with worried expressions. They all remained carefully silent as they heard Yata stumbling around upstairs, listening out for any sounds of fear or distress, but the only thing they heard was a muffled curse as he clearly collided with something in the bathroom. Anna let out a light giggle at the sound and Kusanagi sighed, torn between relief at the brief flash of the old Yata and a need to scold the vanguard for corrupting their King, knowing that he wouldn’t have the heart to scold him at the moment.

“Morning Misaki,” Anna greeted warmly as Yata finally stumbled down the stairs a few minutes later, struggling to mask her display as she took in his exhausted and bedraggled expression and she had barely managed to force a strained smile onto her face when he finally looked at her with sleepy eyes. Beside her, she could feel Kamamoto shifting uneasily, and she silently nudged him to stop him from commenting on his friend’s appearance, something that they had discovered that Misaki was increasingly touchy about at the moment.

“Morning Yata-san.”

“Morning,” he mumbled, hesitating for a moment before moving across to join her and Kamamoto at the bar, although he carefully moved his stool so that there was a safe distance between them, carefully avoiding her gaze as he caught her slightly hurt expression out of the corner of his eye. _Sorry, Anna…_

“Breakfast?” Kusanagi asked, hoping to move past the awkwardness, his eyes narrowed as he took the dark shadows beneath the teen’s eyes and the almost unnoticeable trembling in Yata’s hands as he fiddled restlessly with a beer mat. Clearly, he hadn’t got much rest at all after Kusanagi had fallen asleep and he had to bite back the urge to scold the teen for not taking care of himself, well aware that it wouldn’t go down well and that it wasn’t Yata’s fault or choice.

“Just water,” Yata replied after a moment, swallowing hard as he caught the scent of food coming from the kitchen area, feeling his stomach turn unpleasantly as he added belatedly. “Please.”

“You need to eat more Yata-chan,” Kusanagi had to point out, well aware that the teen had lost more than a little weight since this had begun and worried that it was going to become a setback in his recovery. It was also a painful sign yet again of how many things had changed, as in the past there had been no keeping the vanguard away from his cooking. To the point where he had taken to locking the kitchen at one stage to stop the teen from raiding it before the pub was closed for the day.

“I know, I’m just not hungry at the moment,” Yata replied listlessly, pulling a face at the thought of having to eat anything at the moment, and despite his concern, Kusanagi backed down and instead got the teen a glass of water. He would have to have a word with Fushimi when he stopped by later, and hopefully, the Blue would have some idea of how to get the vanguard eating again. Either that or they were all going to have to take a sterner stance on the issue, and potentially risk pushing the nervous vanguard even further away from them.

**

   Yata had barely been downstairs half an hour, and he had only just allowed Anna and Kamamoto to drag him across to their usual couch when the letterbox rattled loudly, tension immediately settling over the bar as they all turned towards the door. It was Kamamoto who eventually rose to see what had been delivered, Yata instinctively curling up on the end of the sofa, allowing Anna to tentatively press into his side as he fought the urge to bolt back upstairs. He already knew - even before they heard the muffled curse from the burly blond what it was and he bit his lip hard as his friend turned to glance at him with worried eyes, a green envelope clutched tightly in his hands.

“Throw it out,” he forced out after a moment, feeling his vision beginning to blur with unshed tears as he stared wide-eyed at the envelope, wishing that he stayed in bed a while longer even though he had already been laid awake for several hours.

“Yata-san…”

“Throw it out!” Yata repeated more insistently, a touch of hysteria entering his voice, and Anna sat up straighter in alarm at the tone and noting that he forced himself to take a deep breath before continuing in a slightly more stable tone.  “Please…I don’t want to know what it is…I don’t want to see it.” Seeing the gifts and messages always made it worse, and after only a couple of hours sleep, he was no in condition to deal with that.

 “Alright,” Kamamoto agreed after silently conferring with Kusanagi, and highly aware that Yata was watching his every move through wary eyes he headed for the bin behind the bar, dropping it inside before adding softly. “See its gone.”

“Thank you…”

**

     It took nearly an hour for Yata to begin to uncurl even though the gift had been disposed of, and even as he started to relax he made no move to pull away from Anna who had long since begun to run her fingers through his hair, the movement more soothing than it had been on previous days. It was Kamamoto who noticed that his friend seemed to be thinking about something, although he didn’t say anything, as there was something about the distant expression in the hazel eyes that worried him. Therefore, he was the only one that didn’t startle when a few minutes later Yata finally pushed himself into an upright position, glancing between the two of them before his gaze flickered to Kusanagi who had also frozen mid-preparations at the sudden movement.

“I…” Yata began as he glanced down at the floor, trailing off hesitantly as he tried to work out how to put his request into words, well aware that they weren’t going to like what he was about to ask.

“Misaki?” Anna prompted gently.

“H-Has anyone checked my flat?” Yata scowled as he stumbled over his words, hearing the sharp intakes of breath as they all worked out what he was getting at and he cautiously raised his eyes to look at them, catching the conflicted expressions they were sporting.

“Not recently,” Kamamoto was the one to reply, reluctance dripping from his words, and his expression conveyed his worry with the topic as he continued quietly. “You’ve been here, so there wasn’t much point. Why?” _Damn it Yata-san stop trying to pull away from us…_ He was reasonably sure that the vanguard was only trying to retreat to his home in the hopes of avoiding their company and concern, and reluctant to even encourage ways for him to pull even further away from them.

“I…” Yata hesitated again as he glanced away once more, hating the concern he could see in his friend’s eyes, before sighing as he gestured unsteadily at his chest as he continued softly.   “I’ve been here long enough. I’m pretty much healed, so I don’t need babysitting anymore.”

“We weren’t babysitting you,” Kusanagi protested at once, and it was true. The vanguard had barely let them help him with anything even at the start of his recovery, and most of the time they had been limited to doing nothing more than keeping him company and trying to comfort him when everything got too much.

“Yes, you were,” Yata contradicted him immediately, flicking a quick glance towards the older man, slightly taken aback as he realised that Kusanagi actually believed what he’d said, and his voice was slightly more hesitant as he continued. “And…I’ve been letting you, but I can’t keep doing that.”

“Yata-chan…”

“Please?” Yata pleaded, wondering when he had got to the point where he had to ask for permission for things like this…but well aware of the fact that if he didn’t then, they would hunt him down and probably drag him straight back here without listening to what he had to say.  “It’s not like I won’t be here every day anyway.” As conflicted as he was about their company at the moment, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to stay away even if the bar no longer felt like the sanctuary it had been.

“But there’s no rush,” Kusanagi pointed out with a sense of urgency, the thought of Yata being out there without them scaring him more than he wanted to admit, even if having them around hadn’t proved enough to keep the teen safe from Yukari’s mischief.  “We have more than enough room here for you, and Anna enjoys having you around all the time.”

“I feel safer with Misaki here,” Anna agreed softly, and not just because it meant that she could protect him…the vanguard had always made her feel safe, and that hadn’t changed even if he was the one that needed protecting at the moment.

“You shouldn’t,” Yata whispered as he flinched at her words, before coughing and continuing in a louder voice and praying that they hadn’t noticed his previous response, although he could already feel Anna’s gaze burning into him from the side. “I hear what you’re all saying I really do, but I think I need to try going home.” _I have to learn to deal with this on my own…_

“What about JUNGLE?” Kamamoto demanded sharply, regretting his words when Yata tensed, but he refused to take them back as he continued fiercely. “There’s no way they don’t know where you live.”

“Does it matter?” Yata’s tone was just as sharp, and there was a more than a hint of accusation in his next words.  “They know exactly where I am right now…” He trailed off, already regretting his tone when he caught the pained expressions on their faces, and he wanted to curse himself. It wasn’t their fault, none of it was, and he knew that, and yet he hadn’t been able to hold back the words or the feelings.

“But you’re not on your own here,” Kamamoto pointed out shakily.

“Please…”

    Kusanagi sighed, realising that they weren’t getting anywhere with this discussion and if they didn’t cut it short then someone was going to say something they shouldn’t, and he refused to let that happen. Yata was already distancing himself, and he wasn’t going to aid that task. He just wasn’t sure what to do about the current issue. He knew that the vanguard was right with what he said about JUNGLE knowing where he was, not that it made the thought of him being home alone any easier to contemplate. Yet he also agreed with everyone else’s viewpoint, but if he said that, Yata was only going to get more defensive and he might just take off without warning or preparation, and that was an even more worrying idea.

“How about a compromise?” He asked finally, lifting a hand as Anna and Kamamoto immediately opened their mouths to protest his words, shooting them a quelling look before refocusing on Yata who was watching him with a suspicious expression.

“What do you mean?”

“Let us check out your flat first,” Kusanagi explained, gesturing at himself and then to the other pair, knowing that there was no way they would let him go without them. Yata nodded cautiously, thinking that it sounded like a reasonable enough request but somehow doubting that was going to be the only term of this agreement, and sure enough the older man continued after a moment. “And if JUNGLE has been there, then you’ll stay here for a bit longer at least.”

“What about if I agree to think about it?” Yata countered, not liking the idea that his decision would be made so simply, sure that there would be at least something would have been done to his flat. Kusanagi scowled at the amendment, but as he studied the teen he caught the stubborn set to Yata’s chin and the flash of steel in his eyes, and he knew that this was a point that he wasn’t going to concede on, and with a heavy heart he agreed.

“Very well.”

**

    Kusanagi sighed as he stared at the door to Yata’s flat, worried by what might be hidden behind the innocuous looking door and wishing that they had been able to convince Yata that there was no rush for him to go home. Although he knew it was just a sign that the vanguard was trying to move forward, even if he hadn’t missed the faint spark of fear in the teen’s eyes when he talked of moving home. Still, they hadn’t been to check on the place since a couple of days after Yata had wound up in hospital, and that had only been to collect some spare clothes for the teen,

“Let’s get this over with,” Kamamoto muttered finally breaking the silence, stepping forward and pulling out the spare key that Yata had given him months ago and which he’d never had need to use before. Hesitating for a moment before unlocking the door and pushing it open, letting out a soft growl as the door snagged on the post covering the floor and tensing as he realised that the majority of the envelopes were the same pale green ones that had been delivered to the hospital and the bar. “Kusanagi-san…”

“Yeah,” Kusanagi muttered under his breath, fighting the urge to turn around and herd them all back to HOMRA, especially as he doubted very much that this was going to be all that the Greens had done to the place. But he knew that Yata would demand answers, no matter how much he might fear what he would find out, which meant that they had the duty to find those answers. Taking a deep breath, he carefully shepherded a silent Anna into the flat, closing the door behind them with far more force than necessary as he took in the sheer number of letters. _He really isn’t leaving anything to chance…_ It was clear that Mishakuji were aware that Yata was still at the bar, and yet they had gone to the effort of targeting here as well. _Why won’t you leave him in peace?_

“It feels so cold,” Anna whispered as she finally dragged her gaze away from the post, her arms coming up in a self-hug as she stepped forward and led the way into the small living room. She had spent many a fun afternoon here with Misaki and Rikio, and there had always been a bright, inviting atmosphere drawn from the vanguard’s warmth. Now that was gone, and it felt tainted, and she scowled at that thought. She knew that Misaki had already lost the feeling of security that the bar had always provided, and her heart ached to think that this was being stolen from him as well. “Misaki can’t come back here,” she declared after a moment, well aware that he wasn’t doing as well as he pretended, and there was no way she was going to let him return to this.

“No,” Kusanagi agreed softly, struck by the seriousness in her voice and sharing a brief glance with Kamamoto who nodded in agreement. It was clear that the younger man agreed with her assessment of the flat, but had lacked the words to voice what he was feeling. “Come on let’s check the other rooms and get out of here,” he added as he glanced around. He had only visited a couple of times before, generally to pick Anna up when she had forgotten what time she was due home, although he’d always known that she was safe as long as she was with Yata.

“Nothing looks out of place here,” Kamamoto replied after a moment, having spent so much time here that he was confident that he would have spotted the slightest thing being out of place. However, he didn’t look in the slightest bit relieved by that announcement. Instead, his voice wavered slightly as he gestured towards the small hallway on the far side of the room. “His room’s through there.”

    Anna was moving before he’d finished and they quickly trailed after her, doubting that there would be anyone here or any truly dangerous traps, but not about to take risks with her safety…not least because Yata would never forgive himself for agreeing to them checking out his flat if something happened to Anna. Reaching the bedroom door, Kusanagi couldn’t quite hold back a chuckle at the scruffy skateboarding posters covering every inch of the door, shaking his head slightly at the reminder that beneath everything that had happened and Yata’s prowess as a fighter he really was just a big kid. Even Kamamoto’s expression seemed lighter as he glanced between the posters and Kusanagi.

“You know he doesn’t even know who half these people are, he just wanted the posters because they looked ‘cool’.” He explained with a wry twist of his lips, recalling the afternoons they’d spent trawling around town while Yata searched for whatever skateboarding odds and ends he could find, the smaller teen bribing him with the promise of coffee and doughnuts whenever he tried to protest.

“That sounds like Yata,” Kusanagi agreed, torn between amusement and fond exasperation, before his expression turned more serious as he stepped forward and shoved the door open, feeling slightly uncomfortable with invading Yata’s space even if they had the teen’s permission although that thought disappeared as the door swung open and a tense silence settled over them.

    The room beyond was brightly lit and painted in warm reds, however, that did little to detract from the sight of green rose petals covering the messily made bed in the centre. Anna was the first to react, releasing a noise that sounded somewhere between a sob and cry of anger as she stepped into the room, the two men following automatically. It was worse when they were properly inside, as they realised that the petals hadn’t been limited to the bed this time, instead covering every free surface apart from the floor and there resting against the pillows on the bed was a bouquet similar to the one the vanguard had received in the hospital. The fact that it still looked fresh indicated that this ‘gift’ at least was recent, and Kusanagi’s eyes narrowed at that realisation. They had to be watching HOMRA somehow, as this clearly indicated that they knew Yata was considering coming home.

“Monsters…” Anna whispered under her breath as she moved closer to the bed, reaching out with a trembling hand to grasp the gift tag attached to the flowers, her eyes widening at whatever it said before she crumpled it in her fingers.

“Anna? What did it say?” Kamamoto asked quietly when it was clear that she wasn’t going to tell them of her own accord, and she tensed for a moment before sighing and replying in a low whisper.

“Soon.”

“Soon?”

“That’s all that it said,” she replied sharply, and Kamamoto scowled and muttered a curse under his breath. While the get well messages had been creepy as hell, they at least hadn’t been directly threatening like this one, and he swallowed hard at that thought. So far they had failed to protect his friend from all of this…so how on earth were they meant to protect him if the greens were getting ready to shift to direct attacks.

 “I’m calling Fushimi,” Kusanagi said grimly once he’d gathered himself a few moments later, knowing that the Blue would need to know…or rather want to know what else was going on. He was fishing in his pocket for his cell when he realised that Anna hadn’t said a word in the last few minutes, and his eyes narrowed as he glanced around for her. Finding her still stood next to Yata’s bed her hands clenched at her sides and her eyes burning as she stared at the scattered rose petals with a blank expression.  “Anna?” He asked cautiously as he began to move towards her, realising that he could feel her aura beginning to leak into the air around them, sharing an alarmed glance with Kamamoto as the burlier man stepped back to give them room.

“Why? Why are they doing this to Misaki?” Anna asked softly, slowly turning to look at him as he appeared at her side, looking and sounding her age for once and Kusanagi winced at her tone. They had been so focused on what was happening with Yata, and the increasing attacks on all three clans, that they had clearly missed how much this was affecting her. “I don’t understand,” she admitted sounding lost as she gestured at the bed and he hastily grabbed her hand as he caught the briefest flicker of flames around her fingertips. Yata probably wouldn’t be as keen to return home as he had been, but he doubted the teen would appreciate the place going up in flames, even if he was tempted to do the same as he stared at the bouquet and surrounding petals.

“None of us does,” he replied gently as he wrapped his other arm around her shoulder, tugging her against his side and letting her bury her face against him, sharing a worried look with Kamamoto. The younger man didn’t look much better, anger and concern warring for control as he frequently glanced between Anna and the petal covered bed, his hands curling into fists at his side. “But I promise that we’ll find out why they’re doing this,” he promised firmly as he met her gaze as she pulled back to peer up at him, _let’s just hope we can do it before something more serious happens,_ he added silently to himself. She studied him intently for a moment, and he was sure that she had seen through his words, but thankfully after a moment she merely nodded with a determined expression before releasing him and pulling away as she whispered quietly.

“I hope so…”

    Kusanagi sighed, but he didn’t have the words to convince her at the moment, not when he couldn’t even convince himself. Instead, he finally pulled out his phone, before glancing at Kamamoto who seemed to have shaken off his own daze and was watching him with shadowed eyes.

“Stay with her?”

“Of course,” Kamamoto agreed easily as he moved up alongside Anna, resting a hand gently on her shoulder and forcing a tight smile onto his face as she glanced up at him before laying her own hand on top of his. His expression and voice turned darker as he turned his attention back to the older man, who stilled at the unusually dangerous expression on Kamamoto’s face. “Kusanagi-san?”

“Yeah?”

“We’ve got to do something!” Kamamoto declared strongly, his eyes blazing as his aura flared as he gestured wildly around the room with his free hand. “First what happened at the bar and now this. We can’t just keep reacting to their attacks, we’ve got to stop them before they get the chance to get near Yata again.” Even though they were monitoring the online network there was rarely any real warning before an attack, and the thought of being caught by surprise if they went after Yata, fanned both his fury and terror, and he struggled to reign in his emotions as he met Kusanagi’s gaze. _We can’t let that happen…_

“I know,” Kusanagi agreed with a soft sigh, his own expression bleak as he glanced around for a moment before turning back to the other two, his voice defeated as he continued. “But…”

“It’s not that simple,” Anna finished for him, her voice soft and sad as she squeezed Kamamoto’s hand, feeling him trembling slightly. “Saruhiko has been trying to find them, or at least find something that could help us to locate them, but they’re hiding.” Even if she weren’t aware of his skills, she would have had faith in the surly Blue. After all, someone was going after their Misaki. As long as that continued, no force on this earth would stop him from getting the information he wanted. It was only a question of when…

“Cowards!” Kamamoto spat furiously.

“I won’t let them hurt Misaki,” Anna stated firmly, sounding far older and threatening than she should have been able to, and both men stilled slightly at her tone.

“Anna…”

“I got this red to protect everyone,” Anna said staring down at her free hand, letting a little flame form around the marble she was holding in her palm, she watched it for a moment before raising her burning gaze to meet Kusanagi’s.  “If that means needing to fight, then that’s what I will do!”

    _Where is the little girl who couldn’t understand why we enjoyed fighting the Blue’s so much?_ Kusanagi mused as he held her gaze for a long moment. Not once had they tried to make her really understand their reasons for fighting, let alone share their interest and he had thought that would continue even though she was now the Red King. A king automatically associated with destruction. However, it seemed as though JUNGLE had managed to thoroughly smash through any intentions she might have had to stay peaceful, and as he stared at her, he realised that he couldn’t change that. That he couldn’t stop her from going into fights, or to war if that were what she decided. And so he said the only thing that he could in the face of her determination.

“Understood.”  

**

     Yata was sat curled up on the couch, watching distantly as the others sat around a nearby table playing what had started a friendly card game although it was becoming increasingly competitive as time went on, their voices becoming increasingly strident. More than once they’d tried to drag him into playing or acting as a judge, but despite the honest concern he could see in their eyes, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to join in, and finally, they had left him in peace although they would periodically take turns to glance at him. He pretended to ignore the worried glances and the fact that not that long ago he would have been sat right there with them, probably being the most competitive of the lot unless Anna had decided to join in, his lips twitched slightly at that thought, but the humour was short-lived.

   Sighing softly, he glanced at the clock behind the bar, frowning as he realised that Anna and the others had been gone nearly three hours. They had only been going to check on his flat which was barely half an hour away by foot - so what was taking them so long? His eyes darkened as the answer immediately came to him…JUNGLE…the attacks from the Greens had been occurring multiple times a day for the last week, and he knew from overheard conversations that there had been more than a couple of near misses, especially for the Silver Clan. His hands curled into fists in his lap at the thought of them daring to go after his King again. _I should be out there with them. I should be the one protecting her, not the other way round…_

It had been growing increasingly hard for him to watch the others going out to deal with JUNGLE’s incursions into their territory, particularly on the occasions when they came back injured, although thankfully there had been nothing too serious. Yet at the same time, the thought of being out there terrified him…he could handle the low-level clansman easily, he had no uncertainty about that, but he feared that if he ventured out that he might come face to face with Yukari. So far there had been no sign of the swordsman, even during the attacks on the Silvers. And he knew that was part of the reason why Kusanagi and Anna were doing their best to dissuade him when he mentioned going out with the others as they shared his fear that the man might appear if he was out in the open. However, even their genuine concern and the fact that they didn’t blame him for not being out there and fighting, did little to ease his guilt over the fact that he wasn’t doing his job. Even the fact that he had finally started doing some training with Fushimi had only helped ease that guilt slightly, not helped by the fact that they were still moving slowly while he regained his strength. _I want to fight…But…but…_

    The sound of the door opening silenced the rowdy gamers, and Yata’s head immediately shot upwards, hands tightening defensively into fists as his aura flared briefly until he realised that it was a weary-looking Kusanagi, with a pale-faced Anna on his heels and he immediately forced himself to relax although their expressions were anything but soothing. His expression darkened as he realised that Kamamoto wasn’t with them and he swallowed, his mind immediately jumping to worst case scenarios, even though logically he knew that they would’ve looked worse if something had happened to the blond and that there was no sign that they had been fighting.

“What happened?” Dewa asked quietly, glancing between Yata and the pair and apparently realising that the former was too tense to ask at the moment. “Another attack?” The others were paying attention now, expressions ranging from concerned to murderous at the thought of someone trying to go after Anna again, the tower incident still far too close for them to forget, even if they couldn’t see its lasting legacy in the changed vanguard.

“No…at least not a direct attack,” Kusanagi replied at once, knowing that if he didn’t, there was a risk they would get even more riled up and fearing for the safety of his bar if that happened. Yata’s eyes narrowed at the last bit, his suspicions confirmed when both Anna and Kusanagi glanced in his direction, and he swallowed nervously before glancing down.

“We’ll go and check they’re not up to anything,” Chitose spoke up softly, catching the glances and nudging the others in warning, and Yata curled in on himself as he felt everyone’s attention on him. Thankfully the others weren’t slow on the uptake, quietly abandoning their game and heading for the door without a word of complaint, and Anna managed a small smile as they moved past her.

“Thank you,” she murmured softly, her smile growing slightly as they all either grinned at her or ruffled her hair in passing, ignoring the mildly disapproving looks from Kusanagi who was still hovering beside her. However, the smile disappeared as soon as they were gone and she glanced briefly at him before leading the way across to Yata, relieved to see that he had raised his head once it was just them although she desperately wished they had better news to tell him. “Misaki…” She trailed off as she reached him, unable to voice what they had found, as she didn’t want to see fresh fear on his face.

“Tell me…” Yata pleaded as he glanced between them, fidgeting nervously with the ends of his sleeves as he caught them sharing worried looks and it was clear that they were hesitating about telling him the truth, and there was a sinking feeling in his stomach. _There could only be one thing that would make them want to do that…_ and for a moment he reconsidered whether or not he actually wanted to hear the words, but he swallowed and straightened knowing that he couldn’t afford to back down again, not if he wanted to move forward.  His voice was steady but strained as he continued, focusing on Kusanagi as it was clear that Anna really didn’t want to tell him what they’d found. “Please…I already know it’s going to be bad, leaving me guessing is just going to make it worse.”

“Yata-chan…” Kusanagi hesitated for a moment, reluctant to give in to the pleading because the vanguard had finally been starting to look a little brighter the last few days, aided by the time he had been spending with Fushimi as the Blue attempted to teach him the fundamentals of sword fighting. Yet he knew that no matter how confident Yata’s mask was at the moment, it was just that, a mask and he didn’t want to be the one that made it shatter.  “I don’t think…”

“Please?” Yata interrupted him even though he had paled slightly at what he’d gleaned from the older man’s expression, resuming his previous fidgeting although he looked no less determined and Kusanagi sighed as he realised that the teen had no intention of backing down. It should have pleased him to see the return of the crow’s usual stubbornness, but right now he wished strongly that it had chosen a different time to reassert itself and he glanced towards Anna who was studiously avoiding his look. “Kusanagi-san…”

“They’ve been in your flat,” Fushimi’s cool voice rang out, and they all turned to see that the Blue had slipped in while they were talking, his usual blank mask in place although his eyes were glittering with anger. He hadn’t bothered going to Yata’s flat, trusting that the Reds would have had the sense to take the necessary photo and knowing that the vanguard wasn’t going to take the news well and wanting to be there when he found out. What he hadn’t anticipated was actually having to deliver the news himself, and he shot a glare at Kusanagi as he came forward to join them.

“What did they do?” Yata forced himself to ask, fear creeping up his spine as he began to regret pushing the issue, even though he knew that he couldn’t hide from it.

“There were lots of letters in the entrance way, and they’d been in your bedroom,” Kusanagi finally found his voice, goaded somewhat by Fushimi’s glare, feeling heavy as he caught the fear that flashed through Yata’s eyes at his word and his voice was barely audible as he forced himself to continue.  “They’d spread rose petals everywhere and left another bouquet with a message.”

“What was the message?” Yata asked with a visible tremor, his hands clenching into fists at his side and Fushimi quickly moved to stand beside him although he made no move to reach out, realising that the vanguard needed to try and deal with this on his own at least to start with.

“Soon,” Anna replied quietly, wincing as Misaki’s head snapped around as he stared at her with wide eyes and she wished that she hadn’t replied…or at least lied about what the message had said, as it was clear that his previous fear and worry was escalating towards pure terror and she shot a pleading look towards Fushimi. _Please help him…_ Fushimi clicked his tongue as he caught the silent message before giving a small nod, finally reaching for Misaki and resting what he hoped was a comforting hand on the smaller teen’s shoulder, although the vanguard gave no sign of acknowledgement.

“Soon?” Yata echoed after a long moment, aware that everyone was waiting and watching for his reaction and feeling Saru’s fingers tightening on his shoulder, and he took a deep breath as he tried to steady himself determined not to fall apart again.  “They’re not playing around anymore then…” There was actually something oddly comforting about that thought, and he blinked in surprise, feeling Saru glancing at him curiously as he felt him relaxing slightly.

“It doesn’t look like it,” Anna admitted sadly.

“Kamamoto is cleaning up the flat for you,” Kusanagi added grimly, realising that Anna was only just holding onto her own emotions, waiting until Yata’s gaze had shifted back to him before adding hesitantly. “But…”

“I-I’ll stay here for now,” Yata mumbled glancing away with a sigh. In all honesty, his feelings about going home hadn’t changed after all, did it really matter if they were going after him at home rather than here? However, he saw the way that Anna and Kusanagi both relaxed at his words and that helped him swallow down his reluctance and bitterness. _Finally, I can do something for you, even if its only something as small as this._ However, he wasn’t able to stop himself from asking. “Nowhere is safe is it?”

“Yata-chan…”

“Come on,” Fushimi interjected, realising that things were beginning to get overly emotional once more and determined to keep Misaki from getting too stressed. Besides, he wanted an explanation for the vanguard’s earlier reaction, and he had a feeling that he would have better luck if it were just the two of them.  “We’re going to do some practice,” he added by way of explanation, gently gripping Yata’s arm and pulling the unresisting teen towards the bar’s back door which leads out to the small courtyard at the back. While it wasn’t really ideal for what they were doing, it was at least close to HOMRA if anything happened, and somehow he doubted the Reds would agree to Misaki going further afield at the moment even if it was with him. Thankfully neither of the others tried to stop them, clearly shaken by what they had found that moment, and he let out a soft sigh of relief as the door clicked shut behind them.

“Thanks,” Yata mumbled as he pulled away, leaning against the wall with a sigh of relief. He knew that Anna and Kusanagi were just worried about him, but it was becoming harder and harder to hold himself together around them, their fear and worry just feeding his own. At least Fushimi was able to conceal his behind his mask.

“You seemed happy to realise they’re not going to play around for much longer?” Fushimi asked as he settled next to the vanguard, his tone relaxed and disinterested, although his gaze was fixated on Yata with an intensity that told Yata he expected an answer.

“The thought of a direct attack, even if I don’t really stand a chance is more bearable than all of this sneaking around and disturbing gifts,” Yata explained after thinking about his own reaction for a long moment, even though he couldn’t hide the fear that came from the thought of having to face Yukari once more…still doubting that he would stand much chance of winning unless it was by pure luck. “At least that way it might be over and done with fairly quickly.”

“I see,” Fushimi said after a moment, finding himself sympathising with the other’s view and realising that he would probably feel the same if he was in Yata’s place. However, he hadn’t missed the fact that Misaki still lacked confidence in his ability to face Mishakuji, and he was determined to change that…there was no way he was going to accept losing the vanguard to the Greens. “Well we better get to work then,” he added as he straightened, smirking as Yata immediately turned eager eyes towards him, drawing hope from the renewed spark in hazel eyes.

_I will make sure you survive this…_

**

“Focus Misaki!” Fushimi scolded for the umpteenth time as he watched Misaki’s stance waver once more. It was clear from the vanguard’s appearance that he was still not sleeping properly, and given how thin the other teen looked Fushimi doubted that he was eating properly, something that he was going to have to address if he wanted Yata to really stand a chance against the Greens. Unfortunately for their current training it also meant that the smaller teen lacked the energy or focus required to make progress, and the reasons behind those difficulties made it difficult for the Blue to really scold him.

“I am!” Yata protested even as he did his best to pay attention, raising the borrowed blade into the ready position, shivering slightly at the feel of the hilt in his hand. He wasn’t sure that he was ever going to get used to the feel of it, and in all honesty, he wasn’t sure that he wanted to. It might help him buy time against Yukari, but it was never going to be his preferred fighting style, and he couldn’t help but wonder what Saru like about it. “It feels strange…” He added hesitantly, his expression darkening as he stared at the blade, the phantom sensation of Yukari’s blade reappearing and he had to resist the urge to reach up to check that it wasn’t there.

“That’s because your used to going around hitting people with blunt objects,” Fushimi taunted, keeping his voice deliberately light as he caught the shadows that had reappeared in the hazel eyes now staring blankly at the blade Misaki was using and refusing to give the smaller teen chance to get lost in his memories once more. Thankfully his tone, if not his words had broken into Yata’s daze and the lost look disappeared behind a defensive scowl, and his gaze rose to meet Fushimi’s who merely shot him a challenging look in response.

“It works!” Yata protested instinctively, even though he knew that Fushimi was already aware of that, after all how often had they fought one another? And aside from the odd injury here and there he had always been able to hold his own or gain the upper hand without changing weapons, but his expression darkened once more as his thoughts turned to his last battle, adding with more than a little bitterness.  “Well, it did…”

“It still will,” Fushimi said firmly, not about to let Misaki get lost in his memories again, besides he meant it and not least because he hated the thought of fighting a Misaki that didn’t fight with his old unpredictable style.  “That’s why we’re focusing on defensive moves. You don’t have the time or inclination to learn to be a decent swordfighter.” Admittedly he’d hoped that they were going to have more time, but that last message seemed to have shredded that hope to pieces. _Damn you Mishakuji…did you know we were preparing?_ _That Misaki was preparing?_ There was no way he was going to risk voicing that thought aloud around either Misaki or the rest of HOMRA, but he couldn’t ignore the idea himself.

“Then what’s the point?” Yata demanded heatedly, eyes flashing although Fushimi was pleased to note that he had made no move to escape the ready stance he’d adopted.

“To give you the chance you need!” Fushimi snarled as he lunged forward with his own weapon. For a brief second Misaki seemed to freeze his eyes going wide, but then he narrowed his eyes and raised his blade just in time to parry the blow, putting enough brute strength into it to make Fushimi stumble back slightly. Instead of annoyance or disapproval, Yata was surprised by the smug smirk that had appeared on the Blue’s expression as he steadied himself. “Surprise him with your defence, and wait until the moment arises so that you can attack. Then show him what Yatagasaru can do!”

 


	6. Chapter 6

One week later:

     Yata gritted his teeth as he watched Kusanagi carefully patching up Kamamoto under Anna’s watchful gaze, the former’s expression grim as he worked with steady hands. The blond had stumbled inside a few minutes before, blood streaming from a nasty cut above his eye and from his nose, although there had been a triumphant grin on his face despite the injuries. Not that it had done anything to calm Yata who had frozen at the sight of his injured friend and he hadn’t been able to bring himself to move, even as the others had rushed to tend to the injuries and demand to know what had happened. He still couldn’t bring himself to move or speak, and he found himself staring at the floor as he felt Kamamoto’s gaze shifting across to him. _I should have been there with him._ They were all being stretched thin as the attacks were continuing to increase in frequency and intensity, and here he was just hiding in the bar, and yet what other choice did he have?

   He had tried to go out with Kamamoto and Kusanagi a couple of days before, but he had found himself completely rooted to the spot when they’d encountered a group of Greens causing havoc. The sight of their aura sending him into a spiral of terror and he’d been unable to do anything but watch as the other’s took care of everything. The worst thing is that he couldn’t understand why it bothered him so much, it wasn’t as though Yukari had used his aura against him, just his sword. Yet at the first hint of green all, he could imagine was the swordsman and the feel of his blade in his chest. It had taken both of them to get him back to the bar, and while they had made it clear that they didn’t blame him for what had happened, it didn’t stop the shame, and he had tried avoiding everyone since then. Not that it worked against Fushimi as the blue turned up every day to work on his sword-fighting, refusing to allow Yata to push him away no matter how hard he tried.

“They were causing a ruckus in the mall,” Kamamoto’s soft voice drew the vanguard back to the present, and he cautiously looked up, realising that Anna must’ve asked what had happened as she was leaning forward with a serious expression. “Chitose and Dewa are mopping things up right now, but not all of them were Greens.”

“What do you mean?” Kusanagi asked with a frown as he paused in his ministrations, and Yata felt himself tensing as he caught the blood smeared on the older man’s hands. _Kamamoto’s blood._ He could feel his breath catching for a moment, and he hastily forced his gaze to move away, instead forcing himself to focus as Kamamoto let out a soft sigh before replying.

“Some of them were gang members we’ve stopped before.”

“Damn,” Kusanagi cursed angrily, scowling as he glanced at Anna for a moment before returning to his ministrations, shooting the blond an apologetic look when he startled a pained hiss from the younger man as he brushed against his tender nose, both of them missing the way that Yata tensed at the quiet noise.

“So they’re finding new methods to pester us…” Anna muttered with a sigh as she glanced towards the map they’d pinned to the wall, using it to track the attacks in their territory…attacks that were growing increasingly closer to the bar and her eyes darkened as she glanced towards Misaki, realising that he still hadn’t made any effort to come closer and she barely resisted the urge to call out to him. She knew that he was struggling with his fear and the fact that he wasn’t ready to fight just yet and she didn’t want to make it worse, even though she was desperate for him to understand that it wasn’t his fault. “Was there anything else that you noticed?” She asked instead, turning her attention back to Kamamoto who tensed at the question before shooting a worried look towards Yata.

   The vanguard caught the look, and something tightened in his chest. He knew that look, it was the same look they always gave him when another gift or message had shown up, and he swallowed hard. Usually, he would force them to tell him, refusing to allow himself to hide from the reality of the situation, but today with Kamamoto sat just in front of him with blood on his face he didn’t want to hear the words. Without a word he forced himself to move, relieved when none of them tried to stop him as he disappeared into the back, planning on heading upstairs to hide in his room for a while. However, as soon as he was out of sight he found himself unable to bear the thought of being confined in there, the memory of Yukari’s gift still too fresh in his mind and instead he changed direction and headed for the back door suddenly in need of air. He couldn’t go far. He didn’t dare go too far, but the thought of outside drawing him forward, and he sped up, glancing back nervously before slipping out, aware that the others wouldn’t be happy with him for going off on his own.

*

“What is it?” Anna asked softly once she was certain Yata was out of earshot, worried that he hadn’t demanded to know what was going on and wondering just how much of a setback his encounter with the Greens had been. _Misaki._ Even Fushimi didn’t seem to have any idea of how to help her shield come back from this, and she was growing increasingly scared that she might have lost her Misaki that day in the tower. However, she sternly pushed that thought yet again, knowing that if she allowed it take hold, then she wouldn’t be able to be Yata’s strength, and there was no way she was going to take that away from him.

“They’d sprayed a message on the wall before we got there,” Kamamoto replied quietly, his gaze fixated on where Yata had disappeared, and his hands were clenched in his lap, barely managing to keep himself still as Kusanagi applied steri-strips to the cut above his eye. _Yata-san…_

“Soon?” Kusanagi asked as he pulled back to examine his work with narrowed eyes, only the slightest crinkle on his forehead betraying his anger.

“Yeah…”

“They’re getting bolder and closer,” Anna said grimly as she gestured at the map, her aura flaring for a moment and reminding the other two of her declaration to fight, both of them exchanging concerned glances as it was clear that they were running out of time to keep her out of the fights. “Whatever they’re planning, it’s going to happen soon,” she added quietly as she glanced down at the marbles cradled in her hands. Ever since they’d visited Misaki’s flat and seen the first change in the messages, she had been desperately searching for some hint of what was coming, but all she could tell was that the green was drawing ever closer and that it was a threat to her crow.

“Everyone is keeping an eye out,” Kusanagi reassured her as he settled back in his seat, using a wipe to clean the blood off his hands as he nodded at the blond to indicate that he was done, before turning back to Anna and adding with a sigh. “But until they act…”

“There’s nothing we can do,” she finished for him, and he nodded grimly in agreement, already knowing what she was about to say as her eyes darkened. “It’s not enough…”

“No, it’s not…”

**

    Yata had taken refuge behind a pile of barrels waiting to be removed, hiding from sight and sinking back against the wall as he lost himself in his thoughts. He was still lost in thoughts about what had happened and what could have been done in the mall when the door burst open a few minutes later, and he instinctively sank back against the wall as his arms came up to wrap defensively around himself, wishing that he could just disappear into the bricks. _GO AWAY!_ He was appalled to realise that there was a hint of fear in that thought, and his eyes stung as he realised for the first time that his terror toward the Greens was even beginning to seep into his relationship with HOMRA. Tainting his ties with his clan and it was all he could do to stop himself from sobbing out loud at the realisation.

“Yata-san!” Kamamoto called urgently as he stepped out of the door, panic entering his voice when he didn’t immediately spot the vanguard and Yata tensed, having expected it to be someone else who would come and seek him else and his desire to hide intensified. However, he found himself unable to ignore the concern that he’d heard in the cry and cautiously he peered around his shield, biting his lip as he saw the burlier male gazing around in alarm.

“I’m here…” Yata spoke up reluctantly, not really wanting to deal with the company but unwilling to worry the other by not speaking up. The sheer relief in the brown eyes that met his told him he had been right to reply, and that helped him swallow back a sigh as his friend ran up to him, clearly searching for any sign of fresh injury or trouble. An action that made Yata feel even worse, he didn’t deserve that kind of concern when he hadn’t even been able to ask if Kamamoto was okay.

“Don’t disappear like that,” Kamamoto scolded once he was satisfied that Yata was unharmed, running a hand through his hair as he caught the reluctance written across the teen’s face before adding in a softer tone. “You worried us.” _You worried me,_ he added silently as he remembered the panic that had engulfed him when he’d gone upstairs to check on the teen only to find the room empty, it was only when he’d come charging back down the stairs to fetch the others that he’d noticed that the back door was still slightly ajar.

“I just stepped out for a moment,” Yata mumbled glancing away for a moment. However, he couldn’t stop his gaze from drifting back to Kamamoto’s face, taking in the butterfly stitches above his eye, the large plaster on his right cheek and the traces of blood around his nose that they hadn’t quite managed to clean away and his voice was barely a whisper as he added. “I don’t like seeing you get hurt.” It wasn’t an unusual occurrence, they had all been injured at one time or another whether it was because of conflict with SCEPTER 4 or sorting out the gangs or ruffians trying to cause mischief in their territory, but this was different. This time he wasn’t out there with them facing the same danger…the danger that was being increased by Yukari’s odd obsession with him. _You’re being injured because of me…_

“Yata-san…” Kamamoto sighed as he caught the guilt in the hazel eyes that hastily darted to the side when he tried to meet them. Hesitating for a moment, the blond moved across and leant against the wall next to Yata, carefully leaving a safe distance between them after catching the way the teen tensed at the increased proximity. “We don’t mind; you do realise that don’t you? Not one of us minds that we’re protecting you for once.”

“But…”

“No buts,” Kamamoto interrupted him sounding far sterner than Yata had ever heard him, and he couldn’t stop himself from glancing towards the taller man, stilling as he caught the sincerity in his friend’s expression. “We weren’t able to keep you safe in the Tower, so the fact that we can protect you now is something that we all need!” It had taken him days to come to terms with the fact that he wasn’t directly responsible for Misaki’s injury, and Kusanagi had been forced to knock sense into him more than once. And while he knew it was true, he wasn’t entirely sure he’d ever be able to forget he was the one that had pleaded with Yata to go help Anna. That he had sent him in there on his own, even if he had been in no condition to fight back then.

“That wasn’t your fault!” Yata replied instantly, unsure of what to make of the look he got for that response, and he couldn’t stop himself from flinching when Kamamoto forced himself away from the wall before moving to stand in front of him, staring down at him with dark eyes and a stern expression that made him swallow nervously.

“How are you able to see that, but then not accept the fact that what’s happening right now isn’t your fault?” Kamamoto demanded with a mixture of exasperation and worry, and Yata blinked up at him in surprise and confusion and his voice was hesitant as he replied.

“It’s different…”

“No, it’s not,” Kamamoto denied instantly, refusing to let him continue with that train of thought, and this time he actually reached out and grasped Yata’s arms although he kept his hold loose enough for the teen to escape if he really wanted to. Patiently he waited until hazel eyes reluctantly rose to meet his gaze before continuing softly. “Yata you nearly died back then, and most of us weren’t even there to even try and help you. Kusanagi-san blames himself for not being able to protect you and so does Anna.” It was why they were both so desperate to protect the vanguard and bring this to an end, they felt that it was the only way to make amends for their failure in the tower, even if there hadn’t been anything they could’ve done in that situation.

“But…”

“But?” Kamamoto echoed when Yata trailed off, hoping that the hesitation was a sign that he was slowly beginning to listen to what he was saying, and he forced himself to wait patiently as he realised that Yata was actually trying to gather his thoughts.

“I didn’t die though, and there was nothing they could’ve done. Anna had just gained her powers, and she needed protecting…I should have been strong enough to protect her and myself,” Yata mumbled. His gaze distant as he recalled the battle in the Tower and Kamamoto felt the shiver that went through him, cautiously tightening his hold to try and remind him that he wasn’t there anymore and that he wasn’t alone, and the hazel eyes seemed to clear a little.  “But…that’s all over and yet…and yet…” _I can’t forget. I can’t move forward, and I can’t fight…_ He had told Fushimi that he was going to fight, hell he was even learning new ways to defend himself and yet he felt further from moving on that he had before and it terrified him.

“So?” Kamamoto asked after taking a moment to gather himself and his thoughts, the storm of emotions in the wide hazel eyes having caught him by surprise. He’d known that Yata was scared, it was hard to miss and impossible to blame him for…anyone would be scared in the situation that the vanguard had currently found himself, and it was only Yata that was too stubborn or idiotic to be able to see that.

“So?” Yata echoed weakly, not understanding.

“So,” Kamamoto repeated with a sharp nod before his expression softened as he caught the confusion written across Yata’s face.  “You’re scared, and for once you’re reacting like a normal person would. So what?” Before all this had happened, he would have expected Yata to just try and brush it all aside and rush back into the field, and while he wished that it could have been like that, he knew that it would have just been the teen burying the issue. That all the feelings he was showing at the moment would still have been present, eating away at him without rest. He had done the same in the early days after Fushimi had defected. Throwing himself into every fight without thought and more than once he had skated close to the edge of getting himself killed, and it had eventually come to a head when Mikoto had confronted him about, the teen finally breaking down and admitting how much Fushimi’s action had hurt him and how much he missed the Blue.

“I…”

“You’re not superhuman,” Kamamoto pointed out calmly, and Yata nearly laughed, _don’t you think I know that?_ Any faith he’d once had in his own strength was well and truly demolished by recent events, to the point where he wondered if it was even going to be possible for him to be HOMRAs vanguard once more. “Your reactions are normal; so why would we blame you for that? Why are you blaming yourself for what’s happening? Hell if you it were really a problem would Fushimi be here every day? Would he be trying everything he can to stop JUNGLE and keep you safe?” He might not like or trust the Blue as much as Anna and Kusanagi seemed to, but he knew that Fushimi cared about Yata in his own way and that he wouldn’t be going out of his way to help unless he felt that it was truly necessary.

“No…” Yata found himself unable to deny the last bit, knowing full well that Fushimi didn’t bother with things that he found pointless. He had always been like that, ever since they were in school together so there was nothing he could doubt about that assessment. Still, it didn’t make it any easier for him to answer the previous questions, and his voice shook slightly as he added. “But people are getting hurt…you’re getting hurt and I can’t do anything, even though I want to…I want to help!” His voice rose towards the end, and he could feel his cheeks heating up when Kamamoto merely blinked in response to his tone of voice.

“You are helping us,” Kamamoto said softly, and he managed a small smile when he realised that Yata was actually beginning to listen to him, catching the hope buried in the hazel eyes that hesitantly met his gaze after a moment. “You give us a reason to fight, and you’ve protected us all so many times before, so for us this a chance to return the favour. Besides…” He trailed off deliberately, determined to draw Yata out of his shell and he knew he’d succeeded when the smaller sighed in defeat before asking quietly.

“What?”

“We know that you’ll be back when you’re ready,” Kamamoto replied without the slightest hesitation, holding Yata’s startled gaze as he continued in a strong voice. “And that when that time comes you’ll be our vanguard and Anna’s shield again, and that JUNGLE will be the ones that are going down.”

    Yata didn’t know what to say or where to look, unable to hide from the utter conviction he could hear in Kamamoto’s voice and his expression. _Why do you still have so much faith in me?_ He wanted to demand, unable to see how his friend could still see that kind of future when he’d been reduced to his current state, and yet he couldn’t deny the flicker of hope that Kamamoto’s words had brought to life. Fushimi had been telling him from the start that he could come through this, but the Blue’s words were always accompanied by a promise to protect him from JUNGLE. A promise to stop them even before they could get to him again. While Kamamoto was talking about him actually being there with them, in front of them, when the time to take JUNGLE down came, and somehow that was an image that he needed.  

“Yata…san?”

“I…” Yata hesitated for a moment, before taking a deep breath as he forced himself to meet Kamamoto’s gaze once more and his voice was steady as he continued. “Thank you…”

“What are you thanking me for?” Kamamoto asked in confusion, not sure whether to be happy or worried by the other’s words as he had never expected to be thanked and seeing this Yata glanced to the side in embarrassment.

“For believing in me and for being willing to wait,” Yata whispered still not able to bring himself to look at his friend, although he didn’t falter as he continued.  “I’m not sure I can accept everything you said…not yet at least, but thank you.”

“Idiot,” Kamamoto muttered his voice sounding suspiciously thick as he closed the rest of the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Yata as he drew the teen into a strong hug, relieved to realise that there was no hesitation or flinching as the vanguard’s arms crept up to return the hug. “That’s not something you need to thank me for. We’re HOMRA, and we’re friends, that’s never going to change, and I will keep telling you that until you’re able to accept everything.”

“Yeah…”

****

The next day:

     Anna smiled as she watched Yata allowing himself to be drawn into a friendly card game with Kamamoto and Shōhei, he had been quiet since the former had brought him back in the day before, but it was clear that something had changed. The fear was still present, especially as they’d received yet another bouquet of roses that morning, but it was as though he was finally beginning to believe that there was a way forward and she wished she knew what Kamamoto had said to get through to him, but the blond had refused to share when she’d asked. Still seeing the slight quirk to Misaki’s lips as he won the first round was enough to bolster her spirits, and she decided that as long as it had made a difference, she didn’t need to know.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Kusanagi asked quietly as he settled her coke in front of her, and she merely tilted her head towards the vanguard in response, and his expression softened as he followed the gesture and there was a smile on his lips as he added softly. “It’s a sight for sore eyes.” Anna smiled warmly up at him for a moment, knowing that in a way he had been holding himself responsible for everything that had happened and relieved to see some of the tension was gone from his expression.

“Mi…” She began softly only to stiffen, her eyes widening as she glanced down at her marbles which had begun to move beside her hand on the counter, frowning as she caught the flashes of blue and silver mixing with her own crimson before glancing up at him. “We have visitors,” she announced barely a moment before the door swung open, the bell jangling and she turned in her seat, noting the way that Yata had tensed at the sudden noise and how Kamamoto had placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder to stop him from bolting.

“Seri-chan,” Kusanagi was the first to speak as the Blue lieutenant stepped in with a scowling Fushimi close on her heels, and his eyes narrowed as Kuroh and Neko trailed in after them, and his voice was harsher than intended as he straightened. “What is this about?”

“We need to talk,” she replied glancing around, her eyes lingering on Yata for a moment who shifted uneasily under her gaze before she turned her attention to Anna, dipping her head slightly in apology as she realised that the girl was watching her with narrowed eyes. “I apologise for the unannounced visit, but I was hoping we could avoid interference from JUNGLE.” This time Yata flinched visibly, and they all caught the movement, and Kusanagi coughed harshly to prevent anyone from commenting on it as he caught the worried looks that passed over the newcomers’ expression. _Don’t ask,_ he conveyed as Awashima glanced at him in question and she nodded curtly in understanding although he had a feeling she would be demanding answers later.

“Please make yourself at home,” Anna replied with a nod acceptance, more than once they had tried to unite to deal with the threat and every time they had either been prevented from joining up or had faced far higher numbers than expected. It was an unspoken fact by this point that the Greens had them all under surveillance although so far no one had been able to work out how they were doing it. She knew that was one of the things Fushimi had been exploring, but when she glanced across at him he shook his head slightly, and she sighed and nodded in understanding.

    Kamamoto released his hold on Yata as he cleared the cards away quickly, making room as Kusanagi came across to help move the sofas around so that they could all see each as they talked, neither of them commenting when Misaki retreated to his usual seat with a tense expression. Neko quickly claiming the place next to Anna when she moved across to join them, while Kuroh looked around with an uncomfortable expression before moving to stand in the corner near Misaki, missing the terror that flickered briefly through hazel eyes at his movement. The other two reds moved aside, close enough to listen to what was happen without getting in the way. 

“Where is Munakata?” Kusanagi asked softly as he settled next to Awashima, catching the worried frown that formed at his words and the tense way she held herself for a moment before visibly relaxing, although he noted that her fingers were wrapped tightly around her hilt.

“The Captain is with the slates…again,” Awashima replied quietly after a moment, glancing briefly across to where Fushimi had just settled onto the couch next to Yata and Kusanagi could see the concern in eyes, but he wasn’t sure whether it was because of their closeness or for Yata and he wasn’t about to ask when they were surrounded by curious ears. Still, he frowned at her response. The Blue King had been remarkably distant since taking control of the tower, and he knew that Anna was worried about him and the state of his sword. The fact that he had decided to stay with the Slates rather than attend this meeting only added to that concern and he made a note to talk to Anna about it later. They couldn’t afford to be dealing with another situation like Mikoto’s when JUNGLE was on the move.

“What is this about?” Anna asked once she was sure that they were all settled, glancing at Misaki for a moment before turning her attention towards Seri who sighed before gesturing towards the Silvers, earning a soft hiss from Neko.

“The attacks are changing,” Awashima explained grimly, and Kusanagi straightened at once and shared a worried look with Anna, they had been doing their best to monitor JUNGLE’s network, but with the number of attacks, it was becoming increasingly hard to keep up. “They’d been intensifying by the day, but about three days ago they dropped sharply to the point where we’ve managed to give all our men a rest at last. The silvers have had a similar experience…”

“They’ve actively been avoiding us the last couple of days,” Kuroh reported grimly, his hand slipping down to his weapon and resting there. “The few times we’ve engaged, they’ve only fought long enough to engineer an escape, and they’ve completely ceased their surprise attacks.” In all honesty, he was relieved to have a break from the assaults, hoping that it might give them a window of opportunity in which they could work on tracking down Shiro, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t going to like the reason for the sudden cessation in attacks…or the fact that Yukari still hadn’t shown up again, despite the interest he had shown in finishing their fight.

“We’ve had the complete opposite,” Anna spoke up with a frown, her eyes glittering as she met their startled looks, gesturing briefly at Kamamoto’s visible wounds as she continued. “The attacks are still ongoing and getting closer, and we’ve had a shift in the gifts that Misaki keeps receiving.” Her eyes softened as she glanced at Misaki to see how he was reacting, but he seemed distracted by something, and she sighed slightly, torn between relief and worry.

“There’s been no change in the missions issued by JUNGLE, we’re all still supposed to be getting targeted. If anything the focus is still on the Silvers,” Fushimi added seriously, also noticing Misaki’s distraction and shifting slightly closer to the vanguard even as he tried to divert their attention. “If they’re changing pattern it means orders are being given out through some other means.”

“Which means we could have no idea what they’re up to?” Kusanagi asked grimly, the implications of that possibility a heavy weight on his shoulders. At least while they’d had the JUNGLE site giving them some information it had felt like they were keeping up. If there was far more going on than that, they were in trouble, but more worryingly it could undermine his promises that they would stop JUNGLE and keep them away from Yata.

“Possibly,” Awashima agreed, looking equally concerned at the prospect.

     Yata in the meantime was struggling to stay focused on the conversation, even though he knew that he should be worried by the possibility that JUNGLE - or Yukari could be coming for him right now, and they might not know. Instead, he found himself unable to draw his attention away from Kuroh. The silver’s instinctive action of grasping his weapon while talking about the attacks they’d experienced had drawn his gaze, and he found himself unable to look away as the Black dog’s fingers curled around the hilt in response to what was being discussed. Shivering his gaze travelled the length of the weapon, easily able to imagine the blade currently hidden beneath the sheath - a sword similar to the one that Yukari had used against him, similar to the one that had nearly killed him.

    He couldn’t understand why it was bothering him so much, after all, he had been practising with Fushimi for a couple of weeks, handling a sword without hesitation and facing Saru’s blade without any real fear. _So why is this different?_ His skin felt clammy, and he could feel his breathing beginning to seize up slightly, panic rising in his chest as his gaze darted back to where Kuroh’s fingers had just tightened once more on the hilt. _Is he going to use it?_ Logically he knew that the silver wasn’t a threat, that despite their previous antagonism he was fighting alongside them now. That he had been in the Tower fighting by his side, helping him to try and rescue Anna, and yet despite that he couldn’t shake off the fear crawling up his spine. Everything around him growing distant until all he could see and focus on was the blade…

“Yata-chan?” Kusanagi was the first to notice his distress, rising half from his seat as he caught the sheer terror in the wide, hazel eyes only to frown as he realised that the vanguard was utterly focused on the silver. _Yata-chan what’s going on in your head?_ Even back when the pair had been fighting, and the Black dog had completely thrashed him, the vanguard had never shown the slightest hint of fear towards the taller teen and as far as he knew there was no reason for him to be doing so now.

“Misaki?” Fushimi asked, cursing himself for not noticing before the older man, although he was pleased to note that Kusanagi had drawn back to let him work. “Are you alright?” He kept his voice deliberately soft, uncaring of the fact that Awashima was here to witness this side of him, frowning as he felt the tremors wracking the smaller teen as he laid a hand on Misaki’s shoulder. He waited anxiously as Misaki seemed to jerk out back to the present, waiting until dazed looking hazel eyes flickered briefly in his direction before asking softly.  “What is it?”

    Yata gestured weakly towards Kuroh, unable to put the reason for his fear into words, feeling guilty as Kuroh glanced at him in confusion although understanding slowly dawned as he glanced down at his weapon realising where the vanguard’s eyes were fixated, carefully lifting his hands away from the hilt before meeting the vanguard’s gaze.

“I…”

“Misaki…?” Fushimi asked still not understanding.

“I…I can’t,” Yata stammered as he abruptly realised that everyone was staring at him, and he forcefully tore his gaze away from Kuroh’s weapon as he rose unsteadily to his feet, glancing across at Anna as he allowed Fushimi to steady him before mumbling. “I’m going upstairs…I’ll be okay.” He added unsteadily as he saw several of them trying to rise, not wanting to be around anyone at the moment and the moment she nodded in understanding he squeezed past Fushimi and headed towards the back, and they could tell that he was barely resisting the urge to break into a run to get away from them.

*

“Sorry…” Kuroh said softly as they heard the door close upstairs, a frown marring his expression as he glanced down at his weapon with conflicted eyes before glancing across at Kusanagi and Anna. “I didn’t realise my presence would be such a problem…”

“It’s not your fault,” Kusanagi replied quietly sharing a worried look with Fushimi, the latter rising to his feet with a muttered apology before heading off towards the stairs. Satisfied that the vanguard would be taken care of, he turned his attention back to the Silver, his voice slightly unsteady as he continued with his explanation. “He’s been having some trouble moving on from what happened in the Tower, and Yukari’s actions since then haven’t helped.” _Which is putting it mildly,_ he thought with more than a hint of bitterness as he glanced up towards where they could hear movement on the floor above.

“He’s still pursuing him?”

“Yes,” Anna replied softly, her aura flaring for a moment before she got it back under control, shooting an apologetic look towards Awashima who had tensed automatically at the flare and smiling as Neko who merely cuddled closer into her side in an effort to calm her, but then her expression turned solemn once more. “And it’s been getting worse and more urgent. He’s changed the message that he’s been sending with the gifts to ‘soon’.” With the exception of Fushimi, they had decided not to share that change before this, wanting to deal with the threat to Yata themselves, but it seemed like that was no longer going to be an option.

“So the change in attacks…” Awashima breathed with dawning alarm and understanding.

“Could mean that they’re getting ready to try something,” Kusanagi finished for her with a grim nod, and she realised that his hand was curled around his lighter.

“They’re not getting near him,” Kamamoto spoke up angrily, only Shōhei’s hand on his arm stopping him from getting to his feet, although it did little to calm the fire in his eyes as he glanced towards Anna.

“No, they’re not,” Anna nodded in agreement, crimson eyes fierce as she turned to look at Kuroh who drew back slightly under the intensity of her gaze. “You know Yukari better than any of us, why is he going after Misaki of all people? What does he want with him?” Kuroh sighed at the questions, unable to stop himself flinching from the thought of being the one who knew Yukari best, barely resisting gripping his sword again as he dropped slowly into the seat that Yata and Fushimi had just vacated.

“I don’t know,” he admitted heavily, raising his head to stare at them with conflicted eyes, memories rising to the surface as he continued quietly. “I was expecting him to come after me, to continue our fight from the Tower and yet there’s been no sign of him despite our shared history. I don’t understand why he’s so fixated on Yata Misaki, but…”

“But?” Anna prompted anxiously.

    Kuroh hesitated, wanting to warn them but finding himself conflicted. His relationship with Yukari even when they had been in the same clan had always been strained, the older man hadn’t been a kind role model, but that didn’t mean that all his memories and associations were terrible. Yet the man he had faced when Anna was taken and later in the Tower, had been the worst sides of the man, and it was that part of Yukari that was fixated on the HOMRA vanguard. _Why? You’ve always been obsessed with strength and finding strong opponents?_ As strong as the vanguard was, there were plenty of stronger people in all the clans, and yet Yukari had shown no interest in them.

“Kurosuke…” He started at Neko’s quiet prompt, blinking as he realised that they were all watching him intently, clearly waiting for an answer and he sighed realising that they were right, he was the only one left that genuinely knew Yukari outside of JUNGLE even if his knowledge might not be enough to help them.

“I don’t know why he’s targeting Yata…” Kuroh repeated quietly, his expression solemn as he turned to meet Anna’s eyes as he continued grimly. “But you mustn’t let him get hold of him. Yukari likes his games, but they’re rarely the ones you’d want to play. He likes to push and find cracks that will cause a person to break.” _How many times did I nearly crack beneath him?_ More than once he had considered fleeing his old clan, sure that he would never be able to reach Yukari’s level and worried that he could never be what Master Ichigen needed or wanted. Although he had managed to persevere much to his senior’s annoyance.

“Misaki won’t break…”

_He can’t…_

**

    Fushimi hesitated for a moment outside the door to Misaki’s room. Outside of what had once been Mikoto’s room, feeling uneasy at the prospect of stepping into the place where he had once faced the Red King, seeking admission to HOMRA and for a moment he nearly turned back. But then the fear he had glimpsed in Misaki’s eyes before the vanguard had disappeared only moments before made him straighten, there was no way he could leave the other on his own, so with a sigh, he reached for the handle quietly turning it and pushing the door open.

“Misaki?” He asked softly as he stepped inside, coming up short as he found the other teen huddled in the centre of the bed, his arms wrapped around himself as he tried to make himself as small as possible and he had to fight back a sigh. He had noticed the change in the vanguard’s demeanour the evening before and even when they arrived early, and he’d thought that maybe they’d turned a corner, but looking at him now it seemed as though it had been one step forward and half a dozen backwards, and he frowned as he quietly closed the door behind himself. “What happened?”

“It was his sword…” Misaki’s whisper startled him as he’d been half expecting the vanguard to refuse to answer, not that his answer really helped and he couldn’t keep the confusion out of his voice as he cautiously moved towards the bed.

“His sword?”

“I know it doesn’t make sense…” Yata whispered as he caught the confused tone, his gaze overly bright as he met Fushimi’s for a moment before his it drifted over to the far wall, his voice trembling slightly as he continued. “But all I could think about was how it felt…having his sword in my chest…feeling him pull it out.” He couldn’t stop his hand from drifting up to press against the scar, the pressure reigniting the faint ache that had been lingering there ever since and he bit his lip as the memories pressed in on him, starting violently when Fushimi’s hand came to rest on top of his. For a moment it just lingered there before the blue gently squeezed his fingers.

“Come on Misaki,” he encouraged softly as he pulled the hand away before the vanguard could cause himself more pain, settling on the bed beside him and holding onto the hand. “Don’t do that,” he added more sternly when Misaki tried to pull his hand back, his eyes distant once more, and Fushimi stubbornly tightened his hold.

“Why can’t I forget? “Yata asked after a couple of minutes, realising that Fushimi wasn’t going to back down on the issue, sniffling slightly as he forced himself to meet the blue’s gaze. “I was just starting to move forward…and then it all comes crashing back in.”

“It’s not something you just forget,” Fushimi pointed out gently, stilling as his own mind flashed to the image of a bloody Misaki sprawled on the ground in front of him. There hadn’t been a day since the Tower incident that he’d managed to forget that sight, and he wasn’t entirely sure he ever would because he knew just how close he’d come to losing the vanguard. “But like you said you are moving forward, and in time the images will fade…”

“When?”

“I don’t know,” Fushimi admitted reluctantly, wishing that he had a more definitive answer for Misaki, but there was confidence in his voice as he added softly. “I just know that they will…” He found himself abruptly cut off as Misaki flung himself forward, wrapping his arms tightly around him and for a moment he froze, startled by the gesture and the forcefulness behind it. However, as he felt the vanguard beginning to try and force himself to pull back, he hastily wrapped his arms around the smaller teen, returning the hug as he felt the other shudder and bury his face against his chest with a quiet mumble.

“I want to forget.”

****

   Yukari hummed softly as he studied the footage and photos that he’d managed to gather of the HOMRA vanguard, smirking slightly at the images of his crow learning to fight with the blue third in command. More than once he had been worried that he’d already broken the teen beyond repair, which would render the rest of his plans for the vanguard untenable, and instead, he found himself excited by the prospect of testing him and seeing exactly what he had managed to learn. _Not that it will be enough,_ no matter how talented the teacher or the pupil were there was no way he would be able to reach his level, but it added an unexpected element to the situation that excited him.

“Yukari, haven’t you dragged this out long enough now?” Nagare asked softly interrupting his thoughts, and with a sigh he set aside the file and glanced towards his King, catching the hidden anticipation in Nagare’s eyes which showed that he was impatient rather than irritated and there was a soft smile on his lips as he began to reply.

“Nagare-chan…”

“Yeah,” Sukuna piped up in agreement interrupting him, pulling his attention away from his game for a moment to glance up at the Swordsman. “You’ve barely done anything new for over a week. I think you were bluffing when you said this was a masterpiece. You just don’t know how to make this an exciting game!” More than once he’d tried to go after the vanguard, fed up having to wait for Yukari to move the game along, but every time the Swordsman had stopped him, and he was more than ready to take this to the next level.

“You’re so uncultured Sukuna-chan…” Yukari drawled carelessly as he stretched out on the couch, smirking at the angry tick that appeared in response to his words and he couldn’t resist poking at the temper tantrum he could see forming behind stormy green eyes. “But then you are just a kid, so I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“What?” Sukuna snarled as he glared up at the older man, his scythe materialising as he rose to his feet and took a threatening step towards Yukari who yawned pointedly, only fanning the boy’s anger and he made to leap forward with a growl.  “I’ll…”

“Now, now…” Iwafune scolded as he stepped between them, waggling his can at Sukuna and glancing warningly at Yukari who shrugged carelessly before he turned pleadingly towards Nagare who had been watching the confrontation with a mildly amused expression. “Nagare can’t you make them behave?”

“I thought that was your job,” Nagare deadpanned.

“Seriously…” Iwafune sighed, drooping for a minute before he turned to look at Yukari with pleading eyes, although there was a hint of his real power in his voice as he spoke. “Yukari…please?”

“Fine…” Yukari pouted as he glanced across at Sukuna who was reluctantly lowering his weapon, looking a little smug at having the older man forced to comply and for a moment he contemplated dragging it out just to irritate the boy, before dismissing the thought although not through any desire to obey the other. The game had been getting a little boring the last couple of days, and he was honest enough to admit to himself that he was looking forward to moving onto the next stage. “I’ll be activating the bounty tonight.” He glanced at Nagare, not quite asking permission but reluctant to overstep too far, and he smirked when his King gave a small nod of approval.

“Alright!” Sukuna cheered, anger completely forgotten as he put his weapon away, a confident grin on his face as he turned his gaze back to the Swordsman and there was no trace of uncertainty as he boldly declared. “You’ll see…I’ll be the one to finish this mission first.”

“We’ll see about that,” Yukari commented lazily as he shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch, his gaze moving back to the file, wondering how the vanguard would do against Sukuna as he had to admit that the boy was a talented fighter. Although they might not get a chance to find out, although he hoped that he would at least get to see his crow in action.

“You’re taking part in your own mission?” Sukuna demanded incredulously.

“No,” Yukari shook his head, tapping his fingers against the file in anticipation as he added quietly. “My part comes afterwards, but I think you’ll have plenty of competition this time.” There was no way this mission wasn’t going to be one of the most popular, and no matter how talented the boy was, even he might be hard pressed to be the first to reach him let alone the one to complete the bounty.

“No one’s going to beat me!”  

“I’m looking forward to the show,” Nagare said quietly although there was a smile on his lips as he watched Sukuna’s excitement. And when the boy turned his attention towards him, he allowed himself to be drawn into a discussion about what tactics could be used and laughing as Iwafune was dragged into the conversation as he tried to stop Sukuna from breaking the cups on the table in his enthusiasm. Yukari watched the trio for a moment, his smirk softening briefly to something more genuine as he watched Iwafune slumping in defeat as Nagare seemed to spur Sukuna on.

“Now Little Crow, let’s see what you’re made of,” he murmured softly to himself as he turned his attention back to the file in his lap, gaze lingering on the image of the vanguard learning to fight with a sword.

  _I’ll be waiting…_

****

That evening:

   Fushimi scowled at the computer screen, the error message flashing across the page rubbing in his failure and he barely managed to stop himself from hitting the machine. Despite his confidence when he was around Munakata and Misaki, he was becoming increasingly concerned that he wasn’t going to be able to get around JUNGLEs defences in time. _Soon,_ the threatening message was ever present in the back of his mind and accompanied by Misaki’s frightened eyes it was a haunting thought and pleas to be able to forget what had happened, and it made his continual failures that much harder to bare. The vanguard had been making progress, but it was clear to Fushimi at least that he was still struggling to move forward and the Greens weren’t making it any easier for him, especially with the recent escalation in their attacks and harassment. _Which is why I need to stop them…_

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath, his fingers harder than necessary as he tapped the keyboard taking himself back to the JUNGLE homepage. Staring at the logo and green writing only served to fan his irritation, and he had to take a breath to calm himself, idly wondering when he had become the hot-headed one of the two of them, the thought of Misaki laughing at that thought helping to calm him even further. That was the Misaki that he was working to protect…not the frightened crow struggling to find his feet once more, but the overly-loud, fiery vanguard who always caught his eyes no matter what else was happening around them.

    With renewed determination he straightened in his seat, scanning the missions list as he always did whenever he was on this page, scowling at the sheer number of them that were aimed towards HOMRA, SCEPTER 4 and the Silvers. _What are you really after?_ Apart from annoying them, not one of the missions or attacks was something that couldn’t be handled, and it didn’t seem as though there was a particular aim to them. Even if they were hoping to draw out the Silver King, if he was still alive, there didn’t seem to be enough focus on the missions to achieve that goal. The Silvers were struggling because they were outnumbered, but not to a point where they couldn’t cope especially with the other clans stepping in to help out. Yet the mood in the JUNGLE forum constantly seemed upbeat and triumphant, so something had to be going their way. _The question is what is it?_

   Scowling he was about to click off the homepage and make another attempt to get around the firewalls before he needed to head off to HOMRA, when a large notice flashed up on the centre of the page, proclaiming the launch of a new mission. He was about to dismiss it, expecting it to be little more than another request to attack one of the clans. However, he found himself scrolling down slightly and he froze as he found himself staring at a series of pictures of Misaki including a more recent one from his time in the hospital, and he felt a chill go through him. _Soon…._

“Misaki…”

 


	7. Chapter 7

    It had taken Fushimi nearly ten minutes to fully process what he was seeing, and he was trembling with rage by the end of it as he realised that they were well and truly painting a target on Misaki’s back. All other missions against the clans had been put on hold for the time being, and the reward…Mishakuji really wasn’t leaving anything to chance, as Misaki was now worth more than even the Kings had been, there was no way the other Greens were going to be able to resist taking part. Points like that were enough to move them up several ranks. Snarling he slammed his hand down on the desk, cursing under his breath as he stared at the bounty dominating the webpage, already knowing that there was no way for him to remove it or even limit its spread at this stage. _There’s no way to stop this, and there’s no guarantee that we’re going to be enough to keep him safe…_

   Snapping out of his rage at that realisation he lunged for his phone, needing to make sure that HOMRA were at least aware of what was happening, even if he doubted that Misaki would be venturing out on his own anytime soon. He fumbled a couple of times before managing to find the number he needs, and he rose to his feet and paced anxiously in front of the desk as it rang. Praying that the older man wasn’t going to ignore his call and he barely held back a sigh of relief when he heard the phone connecting on the other end.

_“Kusanagi speaking.”_

“Have you checked JUNGLE’s network today?” Fushimi demanded not wasting time on a greeting, his fingers beating agitatedly against the phone and he grimaced at the negative response. His gaze flickered back to the screen, eyes narrowing as he caught the flurry of activity in the forum, and his voice was sharp as he urgently snapped down the phone. “Get on there now! They’re making their move at last.”

_“Fushimi what…?”_ Kusanagi trailed off, and there was sound of movement in the background and the sound of muffled voices as Kusanagi barked an order, then there was silence for a couple of minutes followed by a sharp intake of breath that showed the older man had found the new bounty and his voice when he spoke again was sharp and angry.  _“When did this appear?”_

“Just now,” Fushimi replied grimly. “They’re going to come after him, all of them and....”

_“Damn it…”_

“I’m going to see what I can find out and let Munakata know what’s going on, and then I’m coming to you,” he replied. It was best to stick to business as his own temper was too close to the surface at the moment and his eyes narrowed as he glanced at the screen once more. Hopefully, they’d be able to keep ahead of some of the attacks by monitoring the forums, but he knew that the Greens were competitive when it came to their missions and most messages and conversations were private.

“ _Alright, I’ll take care of telling Yata,”_ Kusanagi said heavily after a moment, for once sounding relieved to know that the Blue was heading in their direction. However, Fushimi didn’t have the time to savour the moment, his mind having blanked briefly at the thought of Misaki learning about what was going on. Rationally he knew that they needed to tell him what was happening, but he couldn’t forget Misaki’s fear even if it seemed to be slowly reducing. He didn’t want this to send him spiralling back into the terror that had been consuming him since the Tower, and a protest slipped free before he was able to stop it.

“But…”

_“He needs to know,”_ Kusanagi pointed out in a surprisingly gentle voice, although there was clear conflict in his tone and Fushimi sighed, wondering how the older man could stay so focused even when the threat to Misaki had just skyrocketed. _“It was dangerous enough before with just Mishakuji targeting him, he needs to know what’s happening.”_

“You’re right,” Fushimi admitted reluctantly after a moment. The ‘ _because we might not be able to keep them away from him completely,’_ hanging unspoken in the air between them before he sighed, adding softly. “I just…don’t want him to be afraid anymore.” There was no way that he wasn’t going to have an adverse reaction to this development. Especially if they were both reacting like this, but he couldn’t even think of anything to lessen the impact, and he had to admit to himself at least, that he was relieved that he wasn’t going to be the one of them to break the news.

_“None of us does,”_ Kusanagi agreed quietly.

“I’ll be there soon.”

_“Alright,”_ Kusanagi replied quietly, apparently picking up on how uncomfortable teen was becoming as he hung up without another word, leaving Fushimi staring blankly at the screen for a moment before he put his phone away and ran a hand wearily over his face. Taking a deep breath, he slipped back into the chair. His eyes narrowing as he stared at the mission and the forums that were going crazy in the side-bar, realising that they might have underestimated just how many people they might end up facing, and his mouth was set in a grim line as he reached for the keyboard once more.

****

    Kusanagi’s face was grim as he closed his phone and slipped it, back into his pocket, staring down at the other phone currently lying on the counter in front of him, the green writing boldly announcing their intention to go after Yata and he slammed his hand down on the bench.

“Damn it,” he cursed loudly forgetting that he wasn’t the only one in the room, glaring at the screen with narrowed eyes. They had known that JUNGLE was going to make its move soon, but not this quickly and not on this scale and for the first time he wasn’t confident that they were going to be able to handle the trouble that was coming their way, not helped by the open worry that he’d heard in Fushimi’s voice. If the usually unflappable teen was reacting like that the situation had to be dangerous, and he had a much better idea of how the Greens operated as he had been spending impressive amounts of time studying them ever since they had first threatened Yata. _If he doesn’t know how to stop them, what chance do we have?_

“Izumo?”

     The quiet voice startled him out of his grim thoughts, and he turned to find the others watching him with concern, and he cursed himself for forgetting that they were there, although he was relieved that Yata was still upstairs, having opted to go to bed once Fushimi had left. Taking a deep breath, he raised his head to meet Anna’s worried gaze, wishing that he could shield both her and Yata from what was going on, worried that she was being forced to grow up to fast.

“JUNGLE has made their move.”

*

     Once Kusanagi had filled them on what little he knew so far, along with Fushimi’s promise to look for more information before coming to visit, and they’d had a short time to let their emotions settle, he’d reluctantly sent Kamamoto to fetch Yata. He’d been tempted to wait until morning, but he couldn’t risk something happening tonight and the vanguard having no idea of what was going on, but his reluctance to tell the teen what was happening returned with a vengeance when the blond reappeared nearly ten minutes later with a clearly sleepy Yata on his heels. However, the sleepiness disappeared instantly as he glanced around him taking in the worried expressions and tense atmosphere, fear seeping back into the hazel eyes as they hesitantly met his before he hesitantly asked.

“What’s going on?”

“JUNGLE,” Kusanagi began hesitantly, pausing as Yata blanched at the name of his tormentors, but forcing himself to continue when the vanguard visibly gathered himself before giving a nod to indicate that he was okay for now. “They’ve posted a new bounty on their page,” he explained as he gestured with the phone that he was still holding, offering it to Yata after a moment but the teen shrank away from it, shaking his head furiously.

“For me?”

“Yeah,” Kusanagi replied softly, watching as Kamamoto rested a supportive hand on the vanguard’s shoulder for a moment, wishing that he had at least something to soften the blow, but all he seemed to have at the moment was more bad news, and he knew that the teen needed to hear all of it. “They’ve also put a hold on all other missions until this one is completed…”

“How much am I worth now?” Yata demanded tersely, struggling not to panic as it dawned on him that by cancelling all other missions Yukari had essentially just set the entire green clan on him, and he swallowed as he glanced at the floor. He didn’t feel like he could take on a single person at the moment let alone dozens or more, even with Kamamoto’s words from the other day still trying to bolster his spirits and he felt himself beginning to tremble.

“200,000 points…” The vanguard gaped at him as the amount registered, eyes wide with fear and shock and this time they all caught the tremor that went through him.

“Yata-chan?” Kusanagi prompted gently when the silence stretched on for too long, worried that the teen was getting lost in his shock and fear. Especially as it didn’t seem as though Yata was actually seeing anything in front of his eyes at the moment, waving Anna back as there was a brief flicker of awareness in the hazel eyes before Yata blinked.

“I’m okay…” He whispered stumbling back a couple of steps and sitting abruptly to prevent his legs from giving out beneath him, burying his face in his hands so that he didn’t have to look at anyone as he felt their concerned gazes burning into him. The prospect of JUNGLE taking direct action against him had seemed a comforting thought only days before, and yet now they were actually making a move he was terrified…perhaps it was because it was on a far larger scale than anything he’d imagined, but he had a feeling that he’d actually been lying to himself from the start. “What d-do they have to do to get the b-bounty?” He grimaced as his voice caught despite his best efforts to sound calm.

“Misaki…” Anna breathed with a worried frown.

“You may as well tell me,” Yata pointed out softly as he raised his head to peer at her, eyes softening as he took in her concerned expression, the familiar feeling of guilt for putting that expression on her face well up and he hesitated a moment before continuing. “I’m going to find out what they want when they come after me.”

“I won’t let them,” Anna vowed fiercely, small hands clenching into fists in her lap, crimson eyes blazing with determination and threat. “I…”

“You can’t promise that” Yata cut across her gently, meeting her gaze directly as she frowned at his words before her expression fell.

“Misaki…”

“Yata-chan…” Kusanagi began softly, but then trailed off when he realised that there really wasn’t anything he could say against that and a knowing look passed over the vanguard’s face.

“It’s not your fault,” Yata was quick to reassure him as he cleared his expression, somehow managing to force his lips into something resembling a smile. “But we’re outnumbered, and you can’t protect me all the time…besides I can still fight!” Slowly he raised his hand for and for the first time since the Tower he allowed his aura to flare threateningly around himself. It only lasted a brief moment, but the sight of it helped to ease some of the tension in the air as most of them exchanged relieved glances. _Yata was coming back to them…_

“The bounty is to capture you - alive and as uninjured as possible,” Kusanagi replied grimly after a moment, reluctant to break the silence that had fallen, but unable to deny that Yata had a right to know or that the teen had been right in what he’d said. How many times had they told the vanguard that they would protect him, only to have JUNGLE find a way past their guard? Even now they hadn’t found a way to stop the gifts arriving. Still, he wished that he hadn’t said anything when Yata paled slightly, the last remnants of his aura disappearing entirely as a visible tremor worked its way through the teen. Not that he could blame him for reacting like that, they’d all been bracing themselves for JUNGLE to take the offensive ever since the shift in messages, but none of them had predicted this.

“Capture?” Yata frowned in confusion, every other bounty had always been to bully or outright attack their targets, and he didn’t like the change in pattern. “Why?” He knew that it was because of Yukari, but he couldn’t understand why the swordsman was going to this extent to get at him, and it was the uncertainty that worried him the most.

“It doesn’t say,” Kusanagi said softly as he glanced down at the disposable cell in his hand, eyes narrowing as he stared at the JUNGLE page. The bounty included information of where Yata could typically be found and details about his fighting abilities, but beside the order to capture and bring to their headquarters there was no real information about the mission itself. Closing the page so that he didn’t have to look at it any longer he turned his gaze back to the vanguard. “Fushimi said he’s going to look into it some more before heading over.”

“Tell him not to bother,” Yata muttered as he glanced off to the side, his hands clenching in his lap and Anna exchanged a confused look with Kusanagi before leaning forward.

“Misaki?”

“He’s doing too much as it is,” Yata explained with a sigh as he looked up, realising that neither of them was going to drop the issue without a proper explanation, forcing his hands to react as he continued quietly.  “Nothing’s likely to happen tonight, and he’ll be here tomorrow anyway, so there’s no point in him coming back tonight.” He already felt indebted to his former rival, and he didn’t want to become such a burden that the Blue would turn his back on him once more. Having Fushimi back in his life without their constant fighting was one of the lighter points of the current situation, and he didn’t want that to be ruined because of his fear.

“But…”

“Please?”  He pleaded softly.

“Alright,” Kusanagi agreed reluctantly, shaking his head slightly when Anna opened her mouth to protest, and with a pout, she settled down. Satisfied that she was going to hold her peace he turned his attention back to the vanguard, his voice stern as he continued. “Yata…I know this goes without saying but…”

“I know, don’t go anywhere alone,” Yata replied with a scowl that did little to hide the genuine fear in his eyes as he glanced off to the side. He hated the feeling that his freedom was being curtailed, even though he hadn't dared to go off on his own for weeks. It was worse now because the choice was being taken from him and in his head he silently cursed Yukari and JUNGLE, torn between a desire to hide and a need to stand up and fight, to try and regain his life from before. Feeling stressed and overwhelmed, their concern pressing heavily on him from all sides he got to his feet once more, relieved when his legs proved capable of supporting his weight. “I’m going back to bed,” he explained abruptly, not waiting for a reply as he headed for the stairs, suddenly needing to be away from everyone as he dodged Kamamoto as the blond reached for him and Kusanagi quickly shook his head, stopping anyone else from interfering.

“Let him go.”

*

An hour later

“Anna you need to get some rest,” Kusanagi said softly as he glanced at his King, the young girl had refused to go earlier, instead settling in the corner and studying her marbles with an intensity that he’d never seen from her before. She’d even refused to speak with Fushimi when he’d called the Blue to pass on what Yata had said, although she had watched him as he talked to the clearly upset Blue. At his words, she glanced up, and he bit his lip as he realised that she had been crying at some point, and he found himself unable to speak as she shook her head adamantly.

“I have to do something,” she protested as she stared at her marbles, and her voice shook slightly as she added quietly.  “Misaki was putting on a brave face, but he’s scared again.” He had seemed a little happier after talking with Kamamoto, but that was destroyed by this latest development, and she hated the Greens for doing this to him and the fact that there had been nothing that they could do to stop it from happening.

“I know,” Kusanagi agreed softly. “But exhausting yourself isn’t the answer.”

“We’ll stand guard tonight,” Kamamoto spoke up, and she turned to look at him, realising that everyone else had been listening and feeling bad for discussing Yata’s fear so openly in front of them, well aware that the vanguard was still feeling guilty for not being able to fight with them. The concern and determination in all their faces told her that they didn’t blame him in the slightest, and she felt her lips quirk upwards at the sight even before she heard the blond’s next words and the soft murmur of agreement that accompanied them. “They’re not going to get him.”

“See?”

“But…” She didn’t want to leave everything to them, after all, it was her duty as King to protect her clan. It was why she had inherited this red.

“We need our King at full strength,” Kusanagi pointed out gently, aware that she was wavering and after a moment’s hesitation he added quietly. “Yata-chan needs you at full strength.” He felt bad for using her concern for the teen against her, but it had the immediate effect of easing the defiance in her expression, and for now, that was his primary goal.

“That’s not fair…” Anna muttered under her breath, but she couldn’t bring herself to argue any further as she was mature enough to realise that he had a point. Sighing she reluctantly slid the marbles in the pocket of her dress before rising gracefully to her feet, offering him a brief smile as she glanced up at him with soft eyes.  “But…thank you.” Quietly she moved across to Kamamoto, standing up on tiptoes to press a chaste kiss to his cheek smiling as he blushed at the gesture, before repeating the action with a startled Kusanagi. “Please keep him safe.”

“We will.”

“That said, we’re going to be in trouble if they decided to take us head-on,” Kamamoto muttered grimly once he was certain that Anna out was out range, refusing to add to her concern, although his expression showed his own worry as he looked at Kusanagi who turned to him the moment he’d spoken. “We just don’t have the numbers we’d need to stave off a direct assault.” _And we can’t rely on the other clans all the time,_ the recent tactics had put them under strain, and the Blues, in particular, would probably need this brief break to recover. Besides this was an attack on their vanguard. On their clan. It had to be HOMRA that dealt with it.

“I know,” Kusanagi sighed wearily, reaching into his pocket for his cigarettes as he glanced anxiously towards the stairs. “I’m just hoping that it doesn’t come to that…so far they’ve stuck to guerrilla-like attacks, and I’m hoping they’ll keep to that tactic.” _But so far our luck hasn’t held,_ he thought to himself as he glanced around the bar, taking in their low numbers and poor suitability of the pub for handling a sustained attack, although he knew their fire and Anna’s determination to protect Yata would help to even the odds. _Still, it won’t be easy to hold our own if they attack us here…_

“Hopefully,” Kamamoto echoed interrupting his thoughts, and he turned to find that the younger man was also studying the bar with a grim expression. “But it’s one hell of a bounty.”

“Yeah…”

****

The next morning:

    Yata yawned as he headed down the stairs, despite everyone’s assurances that everything would work out he hadn’t been able to sleep properly, waking numerous times half-expecting to find his room full of Greens and it had taken him ages to get back to sleep each time. As he stumbled into the main bar, he was surprised to find that everyone was there, although most them looked as though they were half asleep still as they usually wouldn’t appear for a couple of hours yet, and despite the situation, his lips quirked upwards as he realised that they were here for him. _Idiots…but…thank you._ Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he moved across to join Kamamoto who was slumped at their usual table, a plate of half-eaten pancakes sat beside him as he snoozed, although he jolted awake as Yata settled down beside him.

“Did you get any sleep last night?” Yata asked with a concerned frown, he’d heard people moving around every time he woke during the night, so he knew that there had been someone on guard at all times, and studying the dark circles beneath his friend’s eyes he knew who one of the guards had been. He glanced down guiltily, wishing that he’d come down and taken a shift even though he knew that they would probably have chased him off again even if he’d made an offer.

“Some, but then I could ask you the same thing,” Kamamoto pointed out as he stifled a yawn, narrowing his eyes as he studied Yata who hastily glanced away, feeling his cheeks beginning to burn under the intensity of his friend’s scrutiny.

“I’m fine,” he muttered.

“Yata…”

“Alright…I’ve been better,” Yata admitted, unable to bring himself to lie to his friend, especially after Kamamoto had been the one to cheer him up a couple of days before. Sighing as he stared down at the table for a minute before raising his head to find the other man studying him with concerned eyes, and his voice shook slightly as he continued. “I never thought they’d go this far, and I don’t…”

   Whatever else he’d been about to say was lost as the windows around them shattered loudly. Yata had just caught a glimpse of a man in one of the distinctive JUNGLE helmets when he was roughly tackled to the floor by Kamamoto just as green light flashed through the space where they’d been seconds before, and he stammered out thanks as they huddled by the table. Around them, the rest of HOMRA had recovered from the initial onslaught and had rallied, moving to cover the entrances as Anna’s aura washed over the room, and Yata felt the flames wrapping around him even though he couldn’t see her from his current position. _Anna…_ However, his attention was drawn to the Greens now pouring in through the windows, drawing in on himself as he took in their helmeted heads and the ferocity of their attacks. _They’ve really come for me…_

“Yata get out of here! Kamamoto go with him!” Kusanagi ordered as he dropped down between them a moment later, thrusting Yata’s skateboard that he’d retrieved from near the bar at the vanguard who gripped it tightly with a startled expression, wincing as he heard more of the windows going behind them and trying not to pay attention to the damage being done to his beloved bar.

“But…” Yata protested as he glanced around at the fighting, unable to stop himself from flinching slightly whenever green light filled the air. The same fear that had engulfed him the last time he tried to fight JUNGLE was rising in his chest, but this time he didn’t want to runaway…they were attacking his home, his family and he desperately wanted to help protect it, but his body didn’t seem to want to obey his commands to move.

“We’ll handle this,” Kusanagi assured him confidently, his hand shooting out to send fire at one of the Green’s who’d been attempting to sneak up on Anna felling the man with ease, and his expression was determined as he turned back to the vanguard seeing the fear beneath the need to help. Realising that the teen wasn’t going to go without a fight he injected a hint of steel into his voice, hoping that it would be as effective as it had been in the past.  “Get to SCEPTER 4, they’ve got more forces and Fushimi will be able to keep you safe until we get there.”

“I can fight,” Yata protested weakly.

“We know that,” Kusanagi replied with a terse smile, as he exchanged a glance with Kamamoto who’d told him what Yata had said the other day, and desperately wanting to encourage the vanguard. But this wasn’t the time for him to be trying to regain his feet, not when there was so much at stake. “And I don’t think you’re going to have a choice, but there’s no sense in needlessly endangering yourself.”

“But…Anna…”

“We’re all here,” the older man pointed out with increased urgently, flipping his lighter into life and surrounding them with his fire as a couple of Green’s managed to break past the other, smirking as they went down with matching cries before he gestured to the other side of the bar.  “Besides does she look like she needs help?” Yata peeked across to where he was pointing, eyes widening as he stared at Anna who was easily holding her own in front of the door, no sign of her usual peaceful expression nowhere to be seen as flames spread out from her to form a defensive wall that felled clansmen as soon as they brushed against them.

“No…” He had to admit, an odd ache in his chest at the realisation that she was no longer the little girl that needed them to protect her.

“We’ll all be fine as long as we know you’re safe,” Kusanagi said gently, catching the somewhat lost expression on the teen’s face as he stared at Anna. And after a moment Yata sighed and nodded in defeat, realising that he was just going to get in the way if he stayed and there was no way he was going to allow himself to become a threat to Anna.

“Alright…”

“I’ll make sure he gets there,” Kamamoto promised grimly as he got to his feet, lashing out with a flaming fist to take out the man trying to get behind him, his lips pulled back in a growl as he glared down at the downed clansman before reaching out to help Yata up.

“Go,” Kusanagi ordered tersely as a blast ripped open the front of the pub, already rushing forward to meet the fresh wave of attackers as Kamamoto began to shepherd Yata towards the back door. Gracefully dodging between Chitose and Dewa just in time to take out another pair barrelling through one of the windows his expression grim as he sent them flying to the floor. But there was no time to relax as they were immediately replaced by more, and even as he moved to stop them he couldn’t help but wonder just how many there were, one hand reaching for his phone as he realised that despite his confidence in their King and their abilities they were going to need help.

    Yata and Kamamoto had nearly reached the back corridor when there was a sharp shout as one of the Greens spotted the fleeing vanguard, and Kamamoto cursed as he realised that his friend had frozen as green lightning flashed towards them and he flung himself between Yata and the approaching attacks, determined to at least shield him. However, someone else beat him to the punch and just as the lightning was nearly upon them there was a flash of crimson between and the attack.

“Misaki!” Anna was suddenly there, crimson wings spreading out from her back and forming a shield in front of them that stopped the lightning in its tracks and forced it to dissipate harmlessly. Her aura flared even brighter as more of the Greens tried to move towards Yata, and she spared a quick glance at Kamamoto, silently ordering him to get the vanguard out of there before she was moving forward with a determined expression.

“Yata we have to move,” Kamamoto insisted as he shook off his own shock. Relieved when Yata stumbled forward without complaint although he was worried by the blank expression on the teen’s face, but he didn’t dare risk wasting time to ask what was going on his head until they were safely away from the bar and the attacking Greens. Thankfully the back courtyard was empty although he was sure that it wouldn’t take them much longer to discover it, and he hastily grabbed Yata’s arm and dragged him out of the back before they could be found. Praying that they would be able to reach the safety of SCEPTER 4 without running into any more JUNGLE members as Yata stilled seemed to be in a daze as he silently trailed after Kamamoto.

_Hang on Yata-san…_

***

    Fushimi was working on a pile of overdue reports that had been neglected due to his work on JUNGLE, trying not to allow his thoughts to dwell on the fact that Misaki had turned him away the night before and failing miserably. He was just about to admit defeat and see if he could convince Awashima to let him go to HOMRA earlier than usual when the door to his office burst open, and the woman herself burst into the room with an unusually flustered expression, one hand resting on her sword.

“Fushimi!”

“What is it?” He asked in alarm, unable to recall the last time she had looked this alarmed and he immediately wondered if something had happened to Munakata.

“HOMRA is under attack,” Awashima explained hurriedly, and Fushimi straightened in his seat with an alarmed expression on his face, he hadn’t thought that JUNGLE was going to be that direct or swift of the mark and he cursed himself for waiting to go and visit. “Kusanagi just called for assistance.”

“Misaki?” He demanded tersely, unable to summon the energy to try and hide his concern behind his usual mask, although he glanced to the side as her expression softened somewhat.

“Apparently he is on his way here,” she replied, and Fushimi blinked in surprise, knowing that there was no way that Misaki would have made that choice on his own, which meant that Anna or Kusanagi had made the decision to trust them with their vanguard’s safety. Although that did little to ease the panic that came with the thought of Misaki being out there on his own because despite the improvements there was no way he was ready for full-on fighting just yet and if Yukari was out there... He rose half intending to rush out and try and find the vanguard when she held up her hand to stop him as she added reassuringly.   “I believe that Kamamoto Rikio is with him.” While he didn’t particularly like the blond, he knew that he was loyal to Misaki and that he would do everything in his power to keep him safe. _But will that be enough…?_

“I…”

“Stay,” Awashima ordered seeming to realise that he was now torn between hunting down Misaki or waiting here for when he arrived, and for once he felt himself relaxing as she took command.  “I’ll take half of our men with me. The Captain is currently away at the tower, so we’re on our own for the time being.”

“Again?” Fushimi muttered under his breath with a small frown, and he caught a matching one on her face before she cleared it away and with a sigh he nodded in agreement, they could worry about their own King once the current crisis was dealt with.   “Understood.” With a sharp nod, she turned and hurried from the room, the door slamming shut behind her and leaving Fushimi alone with his thoughts.

_Misaki…_

****

     They had made it a couple of blocks from the bar before their luck ran out as they unintentionally barrelled into another group of Greens, and it was only Kamamoto’s quick response and fury at the attack that allowed them to break through. However, with JUNGLE on their ankles, they were forced to take to the side streets and alleyways as they knew Anna would be furious if innocent people, especially people from their territory got caught in the crossfire. The only comfort he could draw from the situation was that the attack had been enough to drag Yata back into the present, and he’d been delighted to catch the younger man downing one of the Green’s with a flaming fist although he had the sense not to make a fuss of it.

     Still, it was easier to move now that Yata was actually working with him, although the vanguard seemed content to follow him rather than taking the lead as he would have done before all of this. News had apparently spread about their movements though as they began to encounter more and more groups, and several times it was only pure luck that allowed them to break free, and Kamamoto was growing increasingly worried that they were never going to get near SCEPTER 4. It didn’t help that while Yata was managing to fight despite the fear in his eyes, he was clearly tiring far quicker than he would have in the past. The last few weeks and his lack of sleep from the night before clearly weighing him down and while Kamamoto did what he could to shield him, there was only so much he could do.

And then their luck ran out.

   They had just dashed into what appeared to be an empty alleyway when Kamamoto blindly caught his leg on a tripwire. The click sounded deafening in the silence, and they had time to exchange an alarmed glance before they were engulfed in flames and smoke. Yata froze briefly as he heard his friend crying out in pain before his aura flared and he blasted the flames and smoke away from them with a determined growl as for a moment his fear faded to the back of his mind. The blond was down on one knee, his clothes singed in places and his breathing in short concerned pants, but before he could speak, they heard voices rushing towards them. Cursing as he realised the blast had well and truly betrayed their position, Yata hastily tucked his board under one arm before leaning down and ducking under his friend’s arm, grunting as he helped the burlier man back to his feet and stabilising him as he wobbled violently.

“Yata-san…”

“Hush,” Yata ordered grimly even as he set off down the alley as fast as he could, struggling to support his friend’s weight even as he added in a gentler tone. “Come on let’s find somewhere to hide so I can get a look at you.” It was easier to push aside his fear now that he had someone else to focus on, and there was a sense of relief that there was at least something that he could do to help, well aware that he hadn’t been overly useful in the fights although at least this time he hadn’t frozen completely.

*

 “Kamamoto!” Yata shouted in alarm as he shoved the blond down behind a pair of dumpsters, ducking down next to him just as some of their pursuers dashed past, eyes narrowing as he hastily shushed his friend who’d opened his mouth to reply. As soon as he was sure that they were out of hearing range, he turned his attention back to the older man, taking in the strained breathing and pale face with worried eyes.  “Shit, are you alright?”

“I think so,” Kamamoto replied shakily as he slowly sat up, rubbing his head ruefully and Yata winced sympathetically as he took in the reopened cut on his friend’s forehead before his attention was drawn to the blood stain spreading up the blond’s leg.

“Like hell you are,” he snapped angrily, dropping his skateboard down beside him and reaching for his friend’s leg, but his hands were surprisingly gentle as he pulled the trousers up, eyes darkening as he took in the gash stretching from knee to ankle. Ignoring the pained protests that met his actions he examined it, expression growing grim as he realised that it was deeper than he’d first thought, dread pooling in his stomach as he contemplated the thought of trying to get out of here now. However, instead of mentioning that he reached for the bottom of his top and began to tear the material into rough strips, noticing as he did so that his hands were trembling. _I’m still scared…_ It had been easy to ignore when he was focused on other things, but now he could feel it seeping in once more, and he hastily refocused on roughly binding the wound, wincing sympathetically as Kamamoto moaned in pain. “Here it won’t hold for long, but it’ll have to do for now.”

“Thanks,” Kamamoto mumbled before stilling as he caught the sound of running feet heading in their direction at speed, his hands clenching at his sides before he tried to push himself upright as he added urgently.  “Come on we can’t stay here.” He’d barely got halfway before his leg gave way beneath him and Yata only just managed to catch him, carefully helping him sit down once more and leaning him back against the wall.

“You can’t move,” Yata pointed out sternly, scowling as his stubborn friend tried once more to get to his feet, his leg trembling violently and he didn’t even get off the ground. “Stay down!” The vanguard hissed as he gripped the burlier man and held him in place, eyes scanning their surroundings as he tried to work out what they were going to do. He’d promised not to go off on his own, but there was no way Kamamoto could move with that leg, and if they were both found, they would soon be surrounded and overwhelmed, and he wasn’t about to let his friend get hurt any further. _Not because of me…_

“But…”

“I’ll draw them off,” Yata said decisively, cutting across Kamamoto’s weak protest as he grabbed his skateboard once more and rose to his feet, carefully keeping his hands out of sight as he felt his trembling increasing. He really didn’t want to go up against JUNGLE on his own, especially as there still hadn’t been any sign of Yukari, but there wasn’t really any other option at the moment. Glancing down at Kamamoto he swallowed slightly before speaking, relieved when his voice came out sounding relatively calm. “Call Kusanagi-san as soon as it’s clear.”

“No…” Kamamoto frantically shook his head, easily able to see through the vanguard’s mask and he tried once more to rise to his feet only to sink back in defeat a moment later, his eyes watering with pain, and instead, he reached out to try and grasp Yata’s leg to stop him leaving. “Yata-san.” _Damn, I’m meant to be protecting you this time, not the other way around…_

“I’ll be fine,” Yata replied as he gently pulled out of the other’s grip, a strained grin on his lips as he glanced down before adding softly. “Trust me.” Kamamoto hesitated for a moment before nodding quietly, while he absolutely hated the situation he couldn’t help but believe in the younger, especially as there were tendrils of red coming from his fists as he turned towards the approaching Greens.

“Just be careful!”

     Yata nodded silently in acknowledgement, his grin disappearing as he took a deep breath before stepping out of their hiding place, although there was no sign of hesitation in his movements as he moved into the opening.

“Oi!” He yelled as he glimpsed the pair of Greens heading in their direction, waving his skateboard in the air even as he sent a blast of fire in their direction, knowing that it wouldn’t reach even before it struck the ground short of them. Still, it had served the purpose of gaining their attention, and he smirked at them, trying to hide his fear as he shouted at them once more. “I’m right here!” As soon as they began to move in his direction he sprang onto his board, propelling himself forward with his flames as he shot into the opposite alleyway, barely resisting the urge to glance back at Kamamoto for fear of betraying his location and as the Greens chased after him, he turned his attention to getting away.

_Stay safe Kamamoto…_

*

   Kamamoto waited until the sound of Yata’s skateboard and the pursuing Greens had faded into the distance before hastily fumbling for his phone, hating himself for letting the vanguard put himself at risk and cursing his earlier carelessness as he glared down at his leg. _I promised to keep him safe…_ He thought guiltily, even the glimpse of the old Yata doing little to ease his guilt about his failure and he shuddered to think about how Kusanagi and Anna were going to react. However, just as he was about to dial the former’s number he hesitated for a moment before scrolling down to Fushimi’s name. He had no way of knowing if the fight at the bar had ended, but he was sure that the Blues must know what was happening by now and that Fushimi would be more than willing to try and meet up with Yata. Decision made he hit dial and pressed his phone to his ear with shaking hands. _Hold on Yata-san…_

“ _Fushimi speaking.”_

*

    Fushimi cursed as he hastily hung up on Kamamoto before the Red could even finish explaining what had happened, his thoughts whirling at the news that Misaki was out there alone while JUNGLE was out in force. They’d already heard from Awashima’s team that the HOMRA bar was a wreck, although most of the fighters there had been stopped even before the Blues arrived and were currently being transferred into SCEPTER 4’s custody. Still, while there was a large number of prisoners, he knew that there was a large but unknown number of Greens still hunting for the vanguard, and worse there had been no sign of Yukari. Grabbing his sword, he shot to his feet, startling Dōmyōji and the others who’d been left behind to help guard headquarters and Misaki if he’d managed to make it here.

“I’ve got to go,” he explained sharply as he realised that they were all staring at him expectantly, cursing Munakata for not being there and Awashima for leaving him in command when he was already too involved in the situation as it was, and his voice trembled slightly as he added grimly.  “They’ve gone after Misaki, and he’s out there on his own.”

“Understood,” Benzai was the first to respond, and Fushimi was relieved that he’d at least been left with one dependable subordinate.  “We’ll inform the lieutenant and hold the fort here.”

“Thank you,” he muttered before rushing for the door, disappearing through it at a run before anyone could say anything else, unaware of the stunned silence that he managed to leave in his wake.

“He really must be worried,” Dōmyōji commented as the door closed behind Fushimi, a startled expression on his face as he turned to look at the others before adding in a baffled tone. “I don’t think he’s ever thanked us before.”

**

    _This was a terrible idea._ Yata thought as he barely managed to avoid another blast, wondering who on earth had decided it was a good idea to equip all the clansmen with those bloody bird bombs, well aware of the trail of destruction being left through the alleys and side-streets. It also meant that he didn’t dare head for the busier areas of town, even if it would provide him with slightly more cover, but he couldn’t trust JUNGLE not to carrying on attacking even if he was surrounded by innocent civilians. Besides, there was no telling how many of those people would also be connected to the JUNGLE network, and he didn’t want to risk getting surrounded by even more enemies.

    Turning into another alleyway he let out a startled yelp as he found himself face to face with a scythe rushing towards his face, only a frantic last-minute twist saying his head from the impact although he found himself flying off his board with a cry, feeling his ankle give beneath him as he struggled to stay upright. Pain lanced through his leg but he didn’t have time to do anything as the weapon was coming for him once more, and this time he was able to take in his opponent, blinking at the child that he found smirking up at him. _A child…no?_ There was a look in the narrowed green eyes that were watching his every move that told him that this boy was a threat, probably more of a threat than the large numbers of Greens that had been chasing him so far. His reaction was a fraction too slow, and he found himself flying backwards with a startled cry, slamming into the far wall and falling to the floor with a grunt, biting his lip to stop himself from crying out again as he jolted his ankle.

“I don’t get why Yukari is so interested in you,” the boy commented as he watched Yata climb slowly back to his feet with a mocking smirk. _Well, that makes two of us,_ Yata thought bitterly as he straightened cursing his lack of weapons even as he glanced towards his skateboard, well aware that this wasn’t a fight he could win at the moment, although he felt ashamed for thinking like that.  “But I’m not about to pass up that many points!” Seeing the boy rushing towards him, Yata didn’t even hesitate as he let his aura blast out around him, reaching out and flipping his board into his hand just in time to stave off the attack, although sparks filled the air as the blade caught the wheel mountings.

“You’re going to have to do better than that kid!” He taunted as he forced the other back, only to regret his words as the boy quickly recovered and this time he wasn’t quick enough to dodge the flashing silver blade, blood welling up from a cut across his upper arm and he hissed out a cure as he sprang back to put some distance between.

“Don’t underestimate a J-rank fighter,” the boy replied with a grin, his eyes bright as he studied Yata and the vanguard scowled, the cocky tone and behaviour reminding him of what he’d been like when he was younger. And while he longed to try and teach the kid a lesson, he knew that now wasn’t the time to risk himself for such a stupid reason, Kusanagi’s words about needing to know that he was safe and not fighting unnecessarily ringing his head.

“I’m not,” he said after a moment, and the boy blinked in confusion, having clearly not expected his agreement and Yata seized on the slight hesitation. Forcing himself to ignore the pain in his ankle he sprang onto the skateboard, lips quirking as he caught the dawning understanding on the other’s face a second before he blasted himself forwards with his flame. “Which is why I’m not sticking around,” he called back, startled to realise that for a moment he felt like himself again, and that realisation bolstered his spirits and he poured more energy into his flames as he shot away, aware of the boy shouting after him as he followed and praying that he would manage to lose him.

_I’m not going to let you take me…_

****

    Kusanagi sighed with relief as he turned in time to see Eric take down the last of their assailants, flipping the lid of his lighter into the closed position and lowering his arm as silence settled over the bar, broken only by the sound of falling debris. Many of the Greens had taken off once they’d realised that Yata had managed to escape, but there was still a fair number sprawled around the inside of the bar. With more on the street outside from where the fighting had broken out of the building, and he couldn’t help but wonder what it was that had drawn so many into such a desperate game. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to feel sorry for them as he glanced around to make sure that none of their clansmen was down, relieved to note that aside from minor injuries none of them looked too worse for wear and with a sigh he turned back to Anna.

     It had been astounding to watch her fight as before she had always held back, the same distaste for fighting that she’d had from her pre-King days lingering even now, but today there had been nothing holding her back, and he knew that she was the main reason for their lack of casualties. However, now that the fighting was over she no longer looked all powerful, but rather like the young girl that she really was. He was about to go to her side when Shōhei beat him to it, moving across and wrapping a supportive hand around her shoulder as the last of her aura faded from the air and after a moment she offered him a weary smile. Relieved by the sight, Kusanagi was about to join them when there were sirens outside, and he rolled his eyes as he realised that it had to be the Blue’s finally arriving, and as he peered through the broken window he saw the distinctive transports pulling up outside.

“About time,” he muttered under his breath, although he knew that it wasn’t really their fault that they had been able to wrap it up on their own. After all, he had called them because he’d doubted it himself. He just hoped that Awashima would see it that way as well as he really didn’t want to have to deal with her ire and he quickly headed for the door, deciding that she might have more mercy on him if he showed good manners by going out to greet her. Hoping that he would be able to convince her to deal with the downed Greens so that they could focus on getting Yata back safely, although by now the vanguard should hopefully have been at SCEPTER 4 or at least nearly there.

    He was just gingerly picking his way over the glass covered floor when his phone began to run, and his eyes narrowed in concern even as he fumbled for it, aware that there was only a couple of people not currently in or out front of the bar who would be calling him. Pulling it out he was hit by a wave of concern as he glimpsed the caller ID and dread pooled in his stomach as he hastily answered, turning back to glance at Anna who had also stilled as she picked up on his alarm.

“Kamamoto?”

**

“Crap,” Yata hissed as he leant against the wall, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath, one hand coming to rest over his scar as it ached dully. He’d managed to shake the Greens for now including that boy, but he doubted that they’d be fooled for long and his stomach shifted uneasily at that thought, well aware that he was at a disadvantage in this situation. He also had no idea where he was at the moment as he hadn’t been able to pay attention to where he was going, and a quick glance around confirmed that there was nothing familiar within sight, and he didn’t dare head out into the open again just yet.

   Shifting he grimaced as pain spiked through his ankle, biting his lip to stop himself from making a noise as he hastily eased his weight of it, sliding carefully down the wall and reaching for it with cautious fingers. It hurt as he pressed on it but he didn’t think that it was broken, but it was going to be enough to make fighting and escape nearly impossible. _Not quite what I had in mind for my first venture against JUNGLE,_ he thought with a bitter chuckle as he leant back against the wall. Trying to calm his breathing even as he contemplated his options as he knew that there was no way he was going to reach SCEPTER 4 or get back to the bar on his own at this point. _If the bar is still standing,_ he paled at that thought, having briefly blocked the original attack from his mind so that he could focus on his own survival and his hands clenched angrily.

  _I just left them behind. I left Anna behind. What kind of vanguard or shield am I?_

    Pushing aside the bitter thoughts as he knew that they wouldn’t help he reached for his PDA, hoping that he would be able to get through…that there was someone there to get through to, but just as his fingers brushed it, it began to ring, and relief flooded him as Kusanagi’s ID flashed up on the screen, and it took him a couple of times to hit the answer button.

“ _Yata?_!” Kusanagi shouted through the phone before he could say anything, and Yata’s lips quirked up in a watery smile, realising that the older man wouldn’t have been able to sound like if something had happened to Anna. _She’s safe…_ He could deal with his own situation as long as he knew that his King and friends were safe, and he felt his eyes stinging slightly as he rested his head against the wall. _They’re okay…_

“Yeah…”

“ _Where are you?_ ” Kusanagi demanded, some of the panic fading from his voice, only to be replaced by his usual stern tone that meant he was taking control of the situation and Yata felt himself relaxing at the familiar tone. _“Kamamoto said that you’d got separated and that he couldn’t get through to you.”_ Okay, …there was a trace of irritation there, and the vanguard grimaced, realising that the older man wasn’t going to be as forgiving of him taking off on his own as he’d been hoping. Especially when he found out that not only was he now lost, but he’d got himself injured yet again, and for a moment he was tempted to say nothing, but the silence on the other end of the phone was expectant, and he let out a defeated sigh.

“I ran into some trouble,” he admitted quietly.

_“Trouble?”_ The irritation was immediately replaced with concern, and the teen opened his mouth to expand when there was a noise at the end of the alley, and he froze. _“Yata….?”_ Ignoring the older man, for the time being, he crawled behind the pile of rubbish, ducking down as he low as he possibly could as voices rang out and he swallowed hard as he heard his own name being bandied around. _Damn it how did they find me so quickly?_ He’d known that he wouldn’t be able to remain hidden for long, but he’d hoped to have a little longer to recover.

“Kusanagi-san…” He whispered nervously, ears straining to keep track of the voices, wincing as he sat back on his ankle and his voice was strained as he added quietly. “I think I’m in trouble.”

_“The Greens are there?”_ Kusanagi demanded anxiously, and Yata made a small affirmative noise in response, not daring to speak aloud as he heard voices drawing even closer, his hand tightening around his board as he ducked down even lower. _Don’t come any closer…._ His fingers gripped the phone tighter as he heard the voices fall quiet, fear flooding his stomach as he heard the steps heading in his direction and he knew that it was only going to be a couple of minutes before they found him. _“Alright we’re tracking your PDA, and we’ll be there as soon as we can. Just hold out, and get the hell out of there if you get a chance. Don’t try and fight them all on your own.”_

“’Kay…” Yata managed to force out, wanting to laugh at the last instruction, _do you really think I want to fight any of them at the moment?_ Although he knew that if this had been before the Tower, he would have recklessly thrown himself into the open and taken on all of them, regardless of how badly outnumbered he would have been and the urge to laugh disappeared at the reminder of how much had changed in the space of a couple of months. “Kusanagi-san I…”

_“It’ll be fine,”_ Kusanagi cut across him gently, his voice soothing and confident and despite the seriousness of the situation, the vanguard found himself believing the older man and his next words were even more reassuring. _“Dewa’s found your signal, we’re coming.”_

“Found you!”  Yata jolted violently at the sudden voice accidentally hanging up on Kusanagi even as the older man called his name in alarm, the relief and reassurance he’d felt a moment before disappearing instantly as he shot to his feet despite the pain in his ankle, and he found himself facing a group of seven Greens. His eyes darted around nervously as he realised that there were a couple more coming up behind him and he paled as he realised that he was trapped. “You can make this easy on yourself,” the one closest to him commented as he tapped his bat against his hand, and Yata’s eyes narrowed, quickly picking up on the edge to his voice. _They want to pick a fight,_ he realised and taking a deep breath he placed one foot on his skateboard, ignoring the tremors that were wracking his body. _Fine, I’ll give you a fight._

*

“Yata? Yata-chan?” Kusanagi called into his phone even as the dial tone rang in his ear, and he fumbled with the buttons as he tried to call the teen back, only for it to ring and ring, his eyes closing as he tried to swallow back the panic threatening to overwhelm him. He’d been able to pick up on the pain and fear in Yata’s voice, and he knew that the teen was injured even if he didn’t know how badly and from the sounds of things he’d just been discovered which meant that their time was running out. Shutting his phone, he slipped into his pocket and glanced at the others who were watching him in alarm after catching his panicked shouts. “We’ve got to go!” His bar was currently in tatters around them, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. _Damn it. I told him that it was going to be alright…_

“Misaki?” Anna demanded urgently as she looked up from where she’d been patching up a nasty cut on Shōhei’s lip, her face and clothes covered in dirt and her eyes burning with fury as she glanced around at her damaged home and family. “Izumo?”

“They’ve found him,” Kusanagi admitted, flinching as flames engulfed her as Shōhei scrambled away with a startled cry. He was amazed that her sword didn’t materialise as he took in her angry expression, and for a moment it felt as though Mikoto was stood in front of them once more as her expression matched the one he’d worn the day that they’d lost Totsuka. Then she visibly reigned in her anger as she glanced around the bar, her gaze lingering briefly on the street outside where their attackers were being herded into SCEPTER 4 vans.

“Shōhei and Eric can you stay here and assist SCEPTER 4 with rounding up our attackers?” She asked sounding remarkably calm as she turned to them, waiting until the two men nodded in reluctant agreement before turning to Kusanagi and the others, and this time there was new fire in her eyes. “The rest of you follow me, I refuse to let them take Misaki,” she added fiercely as she glanced at the map that Dewa was holding out to her, before heading for the door, leaving them with no other choice but to chase after her as she wasn’t waiting. As he followed her out of the door, Kusanagi couldn’t help but marvel at the changes in her. Wondering if Yata had any idea how much he had contributed to her transformation into a King that they could and would follow to the ends of the earth and silently resolving to tell the teen when they found him, hoping that it would ease the vanguard’s lingering guilt over his current need for help.

**

    Fushimi cursed as he finally managed to bring up Misaki’s GPS location on his PDA. Eyes narrowing as he realised that the vanguard had managed to end up in no man’s land - the rough streets that lay outside of both HOMRA and SCEPTER 4 territory and wondering what could have happened to make the teen lose his way to that extent. They had spent many of their early days with HOMRA exploring the whole of the Red’s territory until they knew every alley, road and side street like the back of their hand and he knew that Yata had never lost that knowledge. Which meant that he had been forced to head in the wrong direction, or that he was lost in his fear. Neither of which offered him any comfort and he hastily tucked his PDA away for safety before breaking into a run, praying that he could reach Misaki before anyone less friendly did.

_Hold on._

**

     Yata yelped as he stumbled back, his ankle not dealing well with the strain he was putting on it, but he couldn’t afford to slow down as the Greens were relentless. Their masked faces unnerving as he much preferred to be able to see who or what he was fighting, plus they made for a pretty good defence, and many of his blows were being deflected harmlessly. It didn’t help that they fought with a synchronicity that made it hard to find any holes in their attacks to get his own in, and the few attempts that he’d made to escape like Kusanagi had ordered had been easily foiled. He wished desperately that he’d had one of his weapons with him as there was only so much he could do with his fists, and as he ducked another blow, he couldn’t help but wonder how much longer he could hold out.

_Kusanagi-san…Guys…Please hurry…_

“Give up Yatagasaru!” Yata yelped as he was slammed into the wall, feeling blood beginning to trickle from his nose as he struggled violently against the hands pressing him down, his ankle protesting as he tried to propel himself and his assailant away from the wall. “You can’t win against these numbers.”

“Oh yeah?” Yata snarled, refusing to admit to the truth of that statement even if it echoed his own thoughts, grimacing as blood trickled into his mouth. He winced as his head was forced into the wall once more, the rough surface scraping his cheek and he increased his struggles as he felt the hand on the back of his neck beginning to tighten. “Shit…” He’d thought that he’d be fine dealing with low ranking Greens, but it seemed that even that was beyond him at the moment and for a moment his struggles slowed. _I’m useless…_

“I guess the rumours about you were exaggerated,” his assailant taunted him as he stilled, and Yata couldn’t find the words to protest, feeling his eyes beginning to burn as instead, he found himself agreeing with what the man was saying. _Yatagasaru? I think he died back in that Tower._ “I thought with a bounty like this that you had to be something special, but it looks like there’s nothing to fear from you or HOMRA.” The vanguard stiffened at the taunt, a spark of fury rising in his chest at the insult to HOMRA, Anna’s face flashing through his mind and he gritted his teeth. _What the hell am I doing? Anna still thinks of me as her shield…_ He didn’t understand how she could even have so much faith in him, but he wasn’t about to let her down, and his lips drew back in a snarl. _I’m not strong enough on my own…but…I’m not on my own,_ his hand snaked up in front of him to brush briefly against his tattoo.

“Special?” Yata asked coldly, feeling his captor stilling behind him, fingers tightening and he growled as he realised that he was going to have bruises on his neck by the next day.  “Fine…I’ll show you how special HOMRA is.”  He wasn’t sure that he was going to be able to take them all out, but hopefully, he would be able to create an opening to escape, and with that thought in mind, he allowed his aura to flare around him, noting that it was weaker than before after weeks with very little use. Still, it was enough to blast his captor back, and the moment he was free he flipped his board up, flames spreading out around him and forcing the other men back as well.

   Realising that he didn’t stand a chance if he let it drag on too long, he didn’t give them the opportunity to recover as he charged forwards, flames wrapping around his hands as he attacked with a challenging shout and as they rushed forward to meet him, he found his fear fading away once more. Even the flashes of green that appeared as they struggled to stave off his wild flames didn’t make him falter, although he couldn’t stop himself from flinching at the sight of it. And despite the danger and the pain from his ankle and the stinging cut on his arm, he felt himself dropping back into a sense of normality and he couldn’t keep the slight grin off his face. _Why did I fear this so much…as long as it’s not Yukari, I can handle this…_

**

    Awashima sighed as she studied the badly damaged front of the HOMRA bar, silently mourning the loss of what was secretly her favourite place to go for a drink, although she was certain that Kusanagi would manage to have it back up and running as soon as possible. Still, JUNGLE has really gone to town on it, and she hoped that this was really just because of the bounty of Yata Misaki and not a sign that the Green clan was shifting its mode of operations. They had barely been keeping up with the guerrilla attacks, and she doubted they would be able to handle multiple attacks of this scale, especially not with the Silver King still missing, and the Captain…she frowned as her thoughts turned to Munakata who as far as she knew was still at the tower. Unable to shake the uneasy feeling that there was far more going on both within her own clan and within JUNGLE than what they knew at the moment, and she just hoped that when it all came to the surface, they were ready for the storm.

**

    Yata was breathing heavily his body now a mass of aches and pains from all the blows that he’d been unable to avoid, the ground beneath his feet heavily scarred by his flames, and he wobbled slightly as he came to a halt. Only one of his attackers was still on their feet, the rest scattered unmoving around the alleyway and despite his exhaustion, he was confident that he could end this. He just hoped that was an end to the fighting as he doubted that he could handle anything else today, and he grimaced as he heard Fushimi’s mocking voice in the back of his mind, well aware that he needed to focus on getting himself back up to full strength as soon as this was over. Still, he needed to focus on the present and wiping a hand over his face he straightened and faced the remaining Green, reasonably certain this was the one that had slammed him into the wall before.

“I’m afraid you’re not going to get the bounty today,” he called even as he stepped forward with a determined expression, wrapping his flames around his fists once more as he readied himself, needing to end this battle as quickly as possible. However, the remaining Green didn’t seem fazed by his words or the fact that he was the only one left standing and despite himself, Yata hesitated even as the man moved forward, weapon raised in readiness.

“I disagree,” the Green said with cool calmness and Yata frowned, and then his eyes widened with horror as he realised that the man was staring at something behind him and he tried to turn as he heard movement behind him, but he knew it was too late even before metal whistled through the air towards him from behind.

   Pain exploded at the back of his head, his vision blurring as he felt himself tumbling forward, vaguely aware of the strangled cry that slipped free as he collided heavily with the pavement. Fresh pain blossomed in his face and copper filled his mouth, but he couldn’t make sense of what had happened or why he was hurting, his eyes blinking slowly as he stared without comprehension at the ground stretching out in front of him. He was aware that this wasn’t supposed to be the view he was seeing, but pain met any effort to reason out why and the brief flicker of clarity disappeared as a grey haze settled over him.

“You idiot!” The loud voice startled him, but he couldn’t find the energy to turn towards it, instead trying to curl defensively as he heard whoever had spoken moving closer. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but he could tell that they were threat and fear spiked up through the haze. “What if you’d killed him?” Suddenly there were rough hands on his shoulders, and he found himself being forcefully turned over, the movement causing bile to rise in his throat and he choked weakly, somehow finding the strength to tilt his head to the side as he felt nausea rising. He whimpered softly as he vomited violently, the movement sending spikes of pain through his head and he barely avoided the puddle as he slumped to the ground, unable to move away from the arid smell even as he felt his stomach beginning to roll once more.

“He’s still alive so what does it matter?” Another voice right beside him thundered, and he flinched as the noise echoed through his head, although he was unable to make any real sense of what they were saying. “And this way he can’t try and escape again.”

_Escape…? Was that what he was trying to do? Why?_

“Fine…” The first man was saying, and Yata tilted his head towards the noise, although he immediately regretted the movement as pain lanced through his head, and for a moment the world went completely black, slowly coming back after a couple of minutes although everything around him was too blurred for him to make sense of.   “Damn he the put up far more of a fight that I expected, half our guys are going to be out of action for a while.”

“Ah well, all that matters is that we’re going to get all those points. Although I’d love to know why he’s suddenly worth so much.”

“Who cares? Here strip everything unnecessary off him, we’re meant to leave a marker.” His arm was lifted roughly, and he felt them pulling at something, and it eventually dawned on him that they were taking his PDA just as it came loose and he made a soft noise of protest. _Saru gave me that…_ He wasn’t sure why that was important, and there was something more tickling at the edge of his awareness, but he couldn’t grasp it, and he gave it up as his head began to ache even more fiercely.

     There was a familiar clicking sound from somewhere above him and Yata’s brow furrowed at the noise, and it took several long minutes for his middle mind to be able to place the noise as the camera from his PDA. He wanted to protest, not understanding what they were doing, but he couldn’t find his voice, and after a moment his thoughts drifted again once more. _What’s going on?_ He was aware of movement around him, and his breathing sped up as panic began to flood him, but all he could do was lay there helplessly as he was unable to see clearly and he lacked the strength to try and get up. Then the hands were back, and he whimpered in protest as he felt his hat and headphones being removed, reaching up weakly in an attempt to stop them.

“St…p.” His efforts were ignored, and his hand fell back to the ground.

“I’m impressed he’s still conscious,” the first man added, and Yata frowned slightly in confusion, _wasn’t he supposed to be awake?_ Admittedly everything seemed to be hurting at the moment, and sleep would let him escape that, but there was a small voice at the back of his mind that said that was a bad idea, although he didn’t know why and he tried to distract himself by focusing on the speaker. All he could make out was a blurry shape, the world darkening as he attempted to bring it into focus it and he abandoned his efforts just in time to hear the next bit.   “Although it makes it easier for us.”

    Finally, they seized him under the armpits and heaved upwards, a sharp voice in his ear ordering him to stand up, and despite the pain and confusion, he tried to get his feet under him. However, the sudden movement had unsettled his stomach, and he managed a garbled warning before he threw up again, tears leaking down his cheeks as his stomach seemed to tie itself in knots and he was vaguely aware of disgusted cries before a hand cuffed him in the head. Agony far stronger than before engulfed his head and he cried out sharply, feeling himself beginning to fall as the hands supporting him abruptly disappeared, the world tumbling away from him in a dizzying kaleidoscope of blurred images and pain, and he was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

 


	8. Chapter 8

   Fushimi sighed as he stared blankly at the screen in front of him, one hand rising to grip the headphones hanging around his neck and he had to close his eyes as his vision blurred slightly. _Misaki._ It had been over twenty-four hours since they’d discovered that the vanguard had been taken, and yet they were no closer to finding even a hint as to where he had been taken, and Fushimi could feel the shaky control he’d been clinging to since the moment he’d realised how badly they’d failed threatening to slip. _All those promises_. It had been bad enough when they couldn’t protect him from Yukari’s unexpected gifts, but this time they had been at least somewhat prepared, and yet JUNGLE had still managed to run rings around them.

“Saruhiko,” Anna appeared at his side making him jump, and he opened his mouth to instinctively snap at her, wanting nothing more than to be left alone, but he found himself unable to force the words out and with a soft growl he raised his head to meet her gaze. At once he was relieved that he had tempered his response as he took in her pale face and red-rimmed eyes, and he glanced away as he remembered that he wasn’t the only one affected by this, although he found himself irritated by the composed expression she was wearing even if it was somewhat forced. _Why can’t I bottle this up_? He had always been able to push everything behind a mask before, but from the moment he’d seen Misaki laying near in the tower that ability had disappeared completely, and he hated it. “Any progress?” He blinked as her question broke through his whirling thoughts and he gritted his teeth before shaking his head.

“Nothing…” He admitted barely keeping his voice even, feeling his vision blurring worse than ever and he hadn’t been able to bring himself to look at Anna, not wanting to see her disappointment. He’d been working on the computer since they’d returned to the ruined remains of HOMRA the day before, the pub now roughly boarded up and the debris pushed aside just enough to make it useable. At first, he’d borrowed the bar’s computer not wanting to waste time waiting until his own had been brought over, refusing to leave until he found something despite Awashima’s attempts to get him to return to SCEPTER 4 the previous evening. Promising that he would be able to find something, and yet there was nothing to show for his efforts. They were no closer to bringing Misaki home, and his hands clenched in his lap as he bowed his head. “I’m sorry…”

“Saruhiko,” Anna whispered softly, hesitating for a moment before reaching out and laying her hand on his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment as she felt him tense at her touch. She had known that he was struggling more than anyone with the current situation, but he had been unapproachable the day before, and she regretted not coming to see him sooner. Gently squeezing his shoulder, she waited until he’d turned reluctantly to glance at her, the conflict in his eyes painful to behold. “It’s not your fault. Everyone is doing their best, but no one is having any luck. This isn’t just on you.” Her free hand slipped into her pocket as she spoke, the feel of her marbles beneath her fingertips reminding her of her own failure. No matter how hard she looked she couldn’t find a trace of her shield, and she felt her own eyes beginning to sting.

_Misaki, where are you?._

“But, if I’d just got there sooner…” Fushimi muttered, unwilling to take such easily offered comfort and his eyes were distant as he turned to stare out of the window and she knew that his thoughts had gone back to the day before.

*

   _He had been the first to arrive on the scene, part of him already expecting the worst after the signal from Misaki’s PDA had stopped jumping around a short while before, knowing that, that would only have happened if something was preventing the vanguard from moving. And while he’d hoped that it just meant that Misaki had been forced to hide, he hadn’t been able to summon any real optimism, especially after he’d already passed several places where Misaki had obviously been forced to fight to keep moving towards SCEPTER 4._

_Towards safety…_

_The charred ground had been proof that Misaki had managed to put up one hell of a fight, but the relief that came from the knowledge that the vanguard had been able to fight despite his lingering fears had been tempered by the complete lack of JUNGLE members in the area when he’d arrived. There had been evidence that more than one had been taken down hard, and he knew that there was no way that they would’ve left the left the area, even to tend to their wounded, unless the mission had already been completed. Not with that many points up for grabs._

  _It had been that thought that had sent him dashing to the point where the last signal had come from, praying that Misaki was there, but deep down he had already been trying to prepare himself for the worst. Yet nothing could’ve prepared him for the sight of the scorched alleyway that he’d found when he’d reached the last place where Misaki’s signal had last registered. He’d immediately found himself coming to a halt, dark eyes darting from the partly melted helmets that had been abandoned by one of the walls, to the JUNGLE graffiti that had been scrawled on both sides of the alley…_

_They were here…_

_But there had been no other signs of life, and more importantly, there was no visible sign that Misaki was here. Panic had threatened to overcome him at that point, but he’d forced himself to draw a couple of his knives and cautiously move into the alleyway, carefully searching for any sign of the vanguard. The silence had pressed in on him, feeding his panic and fanning the fear that had been present since the moment he’d learnt that Misaki was out there on his own._

_“Misaki!” He’d shouted, abandoning all attempts at stealth, hoping against hope that Misaki was just hiding and would come out at the sound of his voice. Aware that he was acting overly emotional but unable to bring himself to care. The knowledge that he should have gone straight to HOMRA the moment that the bounty had gone up pressed in on him, even though he’d known that it might not have had made a difference in the long run. But at the very least he could have hopefully made sure that the other teen hadn’t ended up on his own. He could have made sure that they kept their promise to protect him. The thought that they might’ve failed yet again had weighed down on him. “Misaki where are…?” His voice had caught in his throat a moment later as he caught a flash of crimson out of the corner of his eyes, and when he’d turned it felt like his stomach had turned to ice. Blood… Misaki’s blood, his mind whispered. There had been a lump in his throat as he’d forced himself to move closer, nausea welling as he took in how much blood there was and noting the puddle of vomit beside it._

_Misaki…_

_It had been a worrying amount of blood, but there hadn’t been enough to indicate a life-threatening injury, or so he hoped as he tried to comfort himself with that fact. He even tried to tell himself that it might not even belong to the vanguard, after all, it was clear that there had been a fight and he knew that no matter how frightened and weakened Misaki had been after recent events, there was no way he would have just let them take him. But he couldn’t even convince himself at that moment, his mind flashing back to the incident in the tower and the feelings of horror and fear that had welled up at the sight of Misaki’s blood back then._

_He had never wanted to see that blood again…_

_Nausea had risen in the back of his throat, and he’d backed away with a shudder intending to continue his search when he’d spotted the small pile of items lent against the wall, his eyes narrowing as he took in the JUNGLE insignia that had been drawn on the wall above it. On suddenly shaky legs he’d moved across to them, the urge to throw up increasing as he’d realised that it was Misaki’s hat and headphones that he was seeing, and then his gaze had focused on the PDA that was laid on top of them. Reaching them, he’d picked up the PDA and stared at it for a long moment, his heart aching dully as he realised that it was the same one he’d given the other teen when they’d graduated high-school._

_His fingers had been strangely clumsy as he checked the PDA, searching the call logs and finding that the last accepted call had come from HOMRA only to be followed by a slew of missed calls and his expression had darkened as he realised that they’d all been too late. Somehow he’d doubted that the last call had ended peacefully and his hands had tightened around the device as he realised that when it had really mattered Misaki had been all on his own._

_Guilt had threatened to overwhelm the panic still churning in his chest, and he’d been about to lower the PDA when his attention had been drawn to the message icon blinking in the corner of the screen, and after a brief hesitation, he’d forced himself to click on it. When the inbox opened he found a load of messages from Kusanagi-san, but the very top message had come from the PDA itself, and he’d known instantly that he wasn’t going to like what it contained. And his mouth had been set in a grim line as he opened the message, his eyes narrowing at the text that had met his eyes._

_‘The Crow is ours now…’_

_Those five words had ignited a flame in his chest, his anger overcoming his panic briefly as he stared at the text, only it hadn’t been his usual cold, calculating anger but rather a burning inferno that Misaki would be proud of, as he realised that JUNGLE had really dared to take Misaki. It had taken him a couple of minutes to realise that there was a picture attachment, and the flare of anger had died instantly even as he’d clicked on it, waiting with growing dread as the picture had downloaded and there had been a suspicious stinging in his eyes as the image finally loaded._

_It had shown Misaki sprawled limply on the ground, blood pooling around his head and vomit just off to the side, and the vanguard’s usually vibrant hazel eyes had been nothing more than slits. If it hadn’t been for the message, Fushimi might have believed that he was dead from that image, not that, that knowledge had actually given him that much reassurance. Misaki had only just recovered from his previous wounds, and then this had happened. Fushimi had felt like he was back in the Tower all over again, only this time he’d been far too late to help…_

_“Misaki…”_

*

“Saruhiko! Saru!”

   Fushimi blinked as Anna’s alarmed voice finally broke through the memories, realising that several of the others had turned to look at him as well and he growled as he ducked his head. It wasn’t the first time he’d found himself getting lost in his thoughts, and he knew that he was only adding to her worries when she already had more than enough on her plate.

“Sorry.”

“Stop apologising,” Anna ordered sternly although her eyes were soft as she studied him for a moment, and he tensed as a moment later she reached out to brush her fingers across the headphones around his neck, and despite himself, he flinched back. However, there was no recrimination or surprise in the crimson eyes that met his gaze, and he felt himself flushing slightly as he glanced away with a click of his tongue. _Why can’t I get myself under control?_ He hated feeling this out of control, and worse he knew that there was no way he was going to be any use to Misaki as long as he was acting like this. “We will find Misaki, and we will bring him home again,” Anna’s declaration made him glance up, taken aback by the sheer certainty in her voice. He had seen how close to tears she’d been the day before, and yet right now she looked every inch a King, and he found himself desperately wanting to believe her words even though she wasn’t his King.

“I want to believe that…”

“We have to believe it,” Anna cut across him gently, but this time there was a waver to her voice and when he blanched as he realised that tears had slipped free at some point. _Anna_ …He could hear Misaki’s voice in the back of his mind scolding him for upsetting Anna, and ordering him to make up for it and he opened his mouth, only to hesitate as he realised that he had nothing to say that would comfort her at the moment. “Misaki needs us to believe it. He must be so frightened right now...” She trailed off with a sob, and Fushimi found himself moving before he’d contemplated what he was going to do, reaching out and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, ignoring the suspicious looks he was receiving as she pressed her face against his shoulder as she began to sob. “Misaki is…Misaki…”

“I know…”

*

_He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing in the alleyway, trying desperately to get his thoughts and emotions back under some semblance of control so that he could actually be of some use, knowing that there was no time to waste. At some point he’d managed to force himself to pick up the hat and headphones as well, noting as he did so that there was no sign of Misaki’s skateboard even though he knew there was no way that the vanguard would’ve gone down without it. He’d cradled both items along with the PDA in his arms, as though by protecting them he could make up for the fact that he’d failed their owner and yet he still couldn’t force himself to move._

_His mind had been screaming at him to do something, knowing that the longer Misaki was in JUNGLE’s hands, the worse the damage that they could do to him. They could kill him…but the thought of having to tell the others what had happened, of admitting that he hadn’t been able to protect the vanguard. He’d swallowed hard at those thoughts, knowing that once it was put into words, there was no way he would be able to deny the reality of the situation, and he knew that he wasn’t ready for that._

_“Fushimi?” The gentle voice had pulled him from his thoughts a few minutes later, and his hands had tightened protectively around Misaki’s belongings as he’d looked up, paling at the sight of Anna standing a short distance in front of him and the rest of HOMRA arrayed behind her. His expression had darkened when he’d spotted Kamamoto standing at the back of the group, and he’d opened his mouth to shout at the other man, only to come up short as he’d realised that the blond was lent heavily against Dewa. His leg poorly bandaged with fresh blood already soaking through the material and his anger had died away at once. There was no way that Misaki would’ve risked his friend’s safety for his own sake, and it made sense now as to why he’d ended up on his own. Not that it had made it any better, but he had practically been able to hear the Vanguard’s voice in the back of his mind telling him to back off, and he’d heeded it, not that it had stopped him from glaring angrily at the ground._

_The sound of approaching footsteps had drawn him out of his anger, and he’d blinked as he raised his head to find that Anna was moving closer to him, her expression torn between concern and fury, and he’d swallowed hard at the realisation that he needed to tell her what had happened._

_“Anna…”_

_“They have him.” It hadn’t been a question, but Fushimi had found himself nodding in response all the same, somewhat unnerved by the seemingly calm expression on her face as she’d wiped her expression clear at his response. He knew that Mikoto would’ve already exploded by this point, and somehow the fact that she’d still been in control had made him even more nervous, as he’d realised that it meant that when she did lose her temper, it was going to be spectacular and terrifying. He could only hope that he was a safe distance away when it eventually happened. “Show me the picture,” she’s ordered after a moment, fixing him with her gaze as she came to a halt just in front of him before glancing down at the PDA that he was still clinging to, and his stomach had rolled as he’d glanced down at the picture once more._

_“I don’t…”_

_“Show me,” She’d repeated, and there had been something undeniable in her voice, and despite his reluctance, he’d found himself moving forwards. He’d shot a warning glance towards Kusanagi who he’d realised was drifting closer, knowing that the older man was the only one who would have any chance of keeping her calm._

_“It isn’t pretty…they…Misaki is…” He’d tried to warn her as he’d reached her, unable to find the words to describe the picture even as he’d reluctantly handed the PDA across to her, feeling as though he’d just let go of a little piece of Misaki as it had left his hand. Anna had stared at him for a long minute, and that had been the moment that he’d realised just how frightened she was, but then she had glanced down, and her eyes had darkened as she studied the picture. Barely a moment later the air around them had begun to heat up, and Fushimi had been amazed when she hadn’t immediately released her flames, although the pressure in the air had been nearly unbearable and he’d been relieved when Kusanagi had stepped up behind her to rest a reassuring hand on her shoulder._

_“Anna,” Kusanagi’s voice had been soft and cautious, and there had been a hint of real fear in his eyes as he’d stared down at his King, but apparently it had been more than enough as they could feel the change in the air as she visibly reigned in her power._

_“They dared to hurt him again,” Anna’s voice had shaken as she spoke, and it was clear that while she was still in control for the moment, it wouldn’t take much more to push her over the edge. “They dared to take him...” Her expression had darkened as she trailed off, and it was clear that her thoughts had turned to the same guilty ones that had dominated his own since finding Misaki’s belongings, and Fushimi had opened his mouth to try and comfort her, only to be beaten to the punch._

_“Anna…” Kusanagi had said softly as he saw her beginning to tremble, his hand tightening on her shoulder in warning as flames had flickered around her for a moment. “We will get him back. They won’t get away with this.”_

*

   Fushimi sighed as he glanced down at the sobbing girl, realising how much of a front she had been putting on the day before and ever since as they worked on trying to track JUNGLE and his heart went out to her. Misaki had always had it right when he said that he had nothing against Anna, but this time it was different because he could see just how much she cared for Misaki and the strength of her desire to find him and it gave him hope. _Misaki, she’s never going to give up on you, and I won’t either._ His arm tightened around Anna as he glanced up, shaking his head minutely as he realised that Kusanagi had entered the room and was considering coming across to them. While he knew that the older man would be able to reassure her, he found himself wanting to be the one to do it.

“Anna…” He waited until she glanced up at him, his eyes softening slightly as he reached down and brushed away her tears with gentle fingers. “If I know Misaki he’s sat there right now telling them that they’ve angered the wrong people. He’ll know that we’re going to come for him!” Even after all their failures so far the vanguard had continued to trust them, to believe that they would do their best to keep him safe and he refused to think that would change now. Anna stared at him for a long moment, sniffling as she reached up to wipe away the fresh tears that kept sneaking free before finally, she gave a nod of agreement, her lips attempting to twitch up in a strained smile.

“Thank you…”

“For what?” He hadn’t really done a lot, well aware that he wasn’t the best person to be offering comfort to someone at the best of times, let alone when his head and emotions were all over the place.

“For believing in Misaki.”

    _That will never change,_ Fushimi thought to himself, but he wasn’t able to put it into words, although from the knowing look she was sending him it wasn’t necessary and he tsked as he glanced aside. After a moment he cautiously removed his arm, not wanting to abandon her, but feeling a fresh urgency to get back to his work and he was relieved when she straightened with a determined expression on her face although she showed no sign of leaving him be. However, he’d barely set his fingers back on the keyboard when Kusanagi appeared in front of them with a stern expression, and Fushimi was sure that his gaze had lingered longer on him than it had on Anna…, and he thought that for a moment he’d seen something akin to approval in the shaded eyes.

“Come and take a break you two,” Kusanagi ordered, narrowing his eyes when Anna glanced between Fushimi and the computer screen before opening her mouth to protest.

“But…”

“Neither of you is going to be any use if you exhaust yourselves,” Kusanagi cut across her with a tone that Fushimi recognised as the one he’d used whenever Mikoto was his most trying, and for some reason he felt his lips quirk at the idea of the same tone needing to be used on Anna. However, the humour was short lived as he actually contemplated the older man’s words, realising that he had a point, not that it made him any more eager to abandon his work. Beside him, Anna was having a staring match with a second in command, but eventually, she was the one to look away with a defeated sigh before turning back to Fushimi.

“Saruhiko.”

“Fine…” Fushimi muttered as he realised that there was no way he was going to argue against both of them, and with a grimace, he pushed the computer away and rose his feet. Allowing Anna to latch onto his arm and tug him over to where Kusanagi had managed to set up a couple of tables for them to eat on.

_Hang on Misaki…_

****

  Awashima hesitated for a moment before rapping sharply on the door to Munakata’s office, her eyes narrowed with concern as she glanced down at the reports in her arms. The events from the day before weighing heavily on her mind, compounded by the fact that Munakata hadn’t shown up either at HOMRA or back at the headquarters when they’d returned. _Were the Slates really that important?_ Her eyes tightened as that thought slipped in once more, something that had become a common occurrence over the past few weeks as Munakata seemed to distance himself from them and the battle against JUNGLE and she had to admit she was worried. However, she hadn’t realised how much the situation was getting to her before yesterday, and what made it worse was that it had been HOMRA that had opened her eyes.

*

_They’d already sent the van containing the now former-JUNGLE members back to headquarters by the time that Anna and the others had returned to the pub, the remainder of them assisting Eric and Shōhei in beginning to clear away some of the debris. However, it had been clear from the dark, angry aura that had announced the Red King’s return that something had gone wrong and she’d found herself instinctively reaching for her weapon, only to halt as she’d realised that Fushimi was with them. However, while that had stilled her hand, she hadn’t been able to draw much reassurance from his presence as she had never seen him look as defeated as he did at that moment. A quick glance across at Kusanagi had confirmed that he looked nearly as bad, and she had swallowed nervously before forcing herself to ask._

_“What happened?”_

_“JUNGLE have taken Yata,” Kusanagi had replied grimly even as he guided Anna into the bar, his eyes flashing as he glanced around at the destruction, and her heart had gone out to them for a moment. As much as they fought in the past, she couldn’t harbour any real resentment towards them, especially when their headquarters and his livelihood had just come under attack,  and with one of their clansman taken prisoner. However, that understanding had not dampened her shock at what he’d said next. “As of this moment, HOMRA are taking a step back from the current alliance. Taking Yata-chan was a declaration of war.”_

_“But…”_

_“They took a member of our family.” Anna had taken over in a soft voice, her eyes swimming with tears as she’d glanced around the ruined pub, taking in the gathered HOMRA members and Awashima had found herself following her gaze. Not one of the young men were uninjured after that attack, and yet every one of them had looked ready for more, and she knew that none of them was going to contradict what their King was saying._

_“I understand that,” She’s said hesitantly, not sure that she could truly understand the level of emotion that she could see in their eyes. SCEPTER 4 had tight bonds as well, but they were completely different to what she could see between the reds. Still, she had to try, knowing that they had only been able to hold their own so far because they were working together and keeping a level head. “But is war really the answer?”_

_“If they took one of your men would you just stand by?” Anna had demanded harshly, her eyes bright with anger as she stared at Awashima who had been taken aback by her tone having never heard the girl sound like that before. Her shock had been compounded by the sight of Kusanagi lining himself up behind his King with a grim expression that had told her not to expect any help from that quarter. However, before she could even attempt to come up with another protest, she’d found herself paling at the Red King’s next words. “Would Reisi?”_

_“I…” She’d trailed off, eyes darting across to Fushimi for support but the younger Blue had sunk into a seat in the corner, and his gaze was fixated on the items in his hands, and she had a feeling that he hadn’t heard a single word that had been said. I don’t know, she’d admitted silently to herself as her thoughts had turned towards her own King. Knowing that in the past she would’ve been able to answer without hesitation, and yet now she found herself unwilling to say anything and instead she’d found herself shaking her head helplessly. I don’t know…_

_“I hoped you would be able to answer,” Anna had said softly after a moment, with disappointment clear in her crimson eyes as she stared at Awashima, and she had been ashamed to feel herself backing down beneath the force of that stare. “There is no way HOMRA can or will back down on this matter. We promised Misaki that we would keep him safe and we failed. The only thing we can do now is bring him home.”_

*

  Nothing that she had said after that had been enough to change her minds, and it had been a pointless exercise trying to talk to Fushimi as it was clear that his thoughts were entirely focused on finding the vanguard and she had been unsurprised when he had refused to return to headquarters with her. Now all she could do was speak to her King and hope that he had some answers, knowing that if the situation wasn’t brought back under control soon, then it would be the city that suffered. And yet even as she heard his voice from within, she couldn’t help but feel that she should have stated right there and then that SCEPTER 4 would support them. _‘Would Reisi?’_ The question had kept her awake all night, and her mouth settled into a grim line as she stalked into the room, determined to finally get some answers from Munakata.

“Captain…”

****

   Kusanagi sighed as he watched Anna and Fushimi eating, both of them talking quietly at the same time and he knew even without being able to hear what they were saying that they were discussing JUNGLE and how to find their missing vanguard. His expression darkened at that thought, and he turned away, trying not to look too hard at the damage that had been done to his beloved bar as he headed for the back, needing a moment to himself. Especially after spending the day contacting everyone that might have information on JUNGLE and where they could be keeping Misaki, and trying to keep everyone’s spirits bolstered. An effort made even more difficult by the fact that his own spirits were flagging, and he wiped a hand hastily across his eyes as he slipped into the backyard, automatically pulling out his lighter although he couldn’t even bring himself to light his cigarette as he leant back against the wall.

“Yata-chan,” he murmured as he stared up at the sky, wondering what the teen was looking at right now, the last words he had said to Yata echoing in his mind. It had been haunting him from the moment they had found Fushimi in the alleyway with Yata’s belongings and the picture of their vanguard, that he had made yet another promise that had been broken. Yata had been there waiting for their help, and they had never shown up.

_I’m so sorry Yata-chan…_

*

   Anna sighed as she watched Izumo slip out of the back, aware that he had been trying to hold himself together for their sake and she had to fight the urge to go after him, knowing from experience that he preferred to pull himself together alone. Still, her heart ached at the knowledge that her entire clan was in turmoil right now and that there was nothing she could do to ease their pain, the only thing that would help would be finding Misaki and taking the fight to JUNGLE, and yet that was proving to be easier said than done. _Why did I become King? I can’t do anything even with this red_. Her fork clattered against her plate as she stared blankly at the table in front of her. _Why?_

“Anna?”

“I’m okay,” she murmured as she heard the worry in Fushimi’s voice, forcing herself to look up at him and offer a strained smile, but she could tell from his expression that he wasn’t fooled in the slightest and with a sigh, she glanced away. “I thought that having this red, and becoming King… would give me the power to protect everyone,” she admitted softly, catching his sharp intake of breath before hesitantly tilting her head to look at him. “Saru?”

“No one has the power to that on their own,” Fushimi said softly, abandoning his own food as his appetite died completely. His expression darkening as he glanced across at the wall of pictures many of their frames now broken, his gaze lingering on the older pictures from the days when he’d still been a member of HOMRA, back before everything went to hell. “I learnt that long ago.” There had been a time when he’d thought that he was all that was needed for Misaki to be happy and safe, and it had been a harsh wake-up call to realise that he couldn’t give the other teen everything that he needed. That Misaki had needed and wanted more than what he could provide.

“But…”

“Even Mikoto-san…” Fushimi hesitated for a moment, still not overly comfortable talking about his former King, but there was an expectant look in her eyes that forced him to continue. “If he could’ve protected everyone, then Totsuka-san would still be here, and he wouldn’t have needed everyone to help him take revenge.”

   Anna blinked at his words before frowning as she followed his gaze, the old ache that came from the loss of Totsuka and Mikoto rising in her chest but she shook her head. _I can’t linger on the past, Misaki is waiting…_ With difficulty she pulled her thoughts away from that past loss, forcing herself to actually consider what Fushimi was saying. It hurt to admit it, but she realised that he was right and with a sigh she held up her hands, allowing her red to play around them as she felt his gaze on her.

“You’re right,” She whispered, and Fushimi’s eyes widened having expected her to disagree with him, and he watched as the crimson flared even bright. “Back at the hospital, Misaki told me that even if I could protect everyone, he and the others wanted and needed to protect me as well. I forgot that, and I forgot that I was not alone.”

“You’re not alone,” the new voice made them both jump, and they turned to find Kamamoto standing in front of them, an uncomfortable expression on his face as he glanced at Fushimi for a moment. “We’re all behind you, and e will all fight to protect both you and Yata.”

“Rikio…”

“I failed to protect him. I wasn’t strong enough on my own…” Kamamoto said softly as he glanced down at his leg with dark eyes, he’d held himself carefully apart from the others the night before, even when Anna and Kusanagi had both done their best to draw him into conversation well aware that he was blaming himself for what had happened.

“You are injured,” Fushimi pointed out bluntly, still not ready to completely forgive the other man for what had happened, but realising that it was far more important for them to work together for now although he wrinkled his nose at that thought. _When did I become this comfortable with them again?_ Pushing that thought away, for the time being, he raised his gaze to meet Kamamoto’s, his voice softening slightly as he added. “Misaki would never have let you fight like that.”

“I know…” Kamamoto whispered. “It doesn’t make it easier though, especially when we have no idea where Yata is, or what they want with him.” It had been haunting him the night before, every possible worst-case scenario running through his mind and he had an uneasy feeling that what was happening was going to be worse than anything he could imagine. “But, it gives me even more of a reason to fight for him!” He added strongly, and this time he met Fushimi’s gaze without hesitation, and despite himself, the blue was impressed by the determination the blond was showing, and a quick glance at Anna showed that the statement had bolstered her spirits as well and he let out a soft sigh. I can’t really argue against that, can I? After all, I failed him just as much as you have…

“Then help me,” he found himself saying, slightly appalled at himself for even suggesting it, although he was equally irritated by the shocked looks he was receiving from the other two. Clearing his throat, he glanced away in embarrassment before gesturing across to his workstation as he elaborated. “You’re more familiar with Kusanagi’s work than I am and you know the area, can you sort through all the reports he’s given me.” _What have you done to me Misaki?_ Before all this had happened, he could never have conceived of a situation where he was willingly working with HOMRA, and yet right now he felt more at home with them than his own clan.

_It’s because of Misaki…_

“What am I looking for?” Kamamoto asked after he recovered from his shock, eager to be able to do something to help as the stare of his leg meant that Kusanagi had refused to allow him to join Chitose and the others on the streets looking for answers.

“Anything,” it was Anna who answered as she realised what Fushimi was doing, smiling as she saw him trying to avoid their gazes. _Misaki, he’s fighting for you_. She prayed that her crow knew just how hard they were looking for him and that he believed that they would come for him, and her eyes were bright as she turned back to them. “All we need is one hint."

****

   Yukari hummed softly to himself as he stepped into the room where he was keeping his prize, his expression darkening slightly as he realised that there was no change in the teen’s condition from when he’d been delivered the day before. At first he’d been surprised but delighted that the bounty had been completed so quickly, eager to proceed onto the next stage of his game, especially as he had promised Nagare that he would step up his harassment of the Silvers in the hopes of drawing out Weismann so that they could proceed with their primary plan. However, those thoughts had been derailed when he’d arrived at the main gate to receive the vanguard the previous evening only to find the teen badly injured, despite his explicit instructions that he wasn’t to be hurt past a certain level and it had only been Iwafune’s interference that had saved them from his wrath.

   Instead of enjoying tormenting the boy, he’d found himself spending the previous evening tending to his Crow’s injuries which had been far worse than he’d realised at first and it had only been in the early hours that he’d been confident enough to leave him on his own. Still despite the seriousness of his injuries he’d been hoping that the boy would’ve stirred by now, especially as he now had to work out how to proceed with his plans as it was clear that the crow wouldn’t be able to fight for a while. _Damn those morons_. Sighing he turned his attention back to the teenager, taking in the slightly laboured rise and fall of his chest and the way his face was twisted in discomfort and distress even while unconscious. The pristine bandages contrasting against the Vanguard’s battle-stained clothing but Yukari had drawn the line at changing his clothes. Besides the marks reassured him that the teen still had some fight in him, something that he’d begun to doubt when there was no sign of the vanguard going back onto the front lines since the Tower.

   Still, that was going to be for nought if he proved unable to fight, and with an irritated sigh, Yukari turned to leave, wondering if Sukuna had reappeared yet so that he could taunt the younger for failing to get the points after all his boasting. Honestly curious as to what had happened as he knew that there was no way the boy would have given up on the points without a fight. However, he had just opened the door when there was a pained whimper from the bed, and he immediately turned back, eyes brightening as he watched the Vanguard shifting uneasily on the bed and in a couple of quick steps he was back beside the bed.

_Little Crow…_

*

   The pain was the first thing that registered as Yata swam towards consciousness, his head feeling like it was swollen to several times its normal size and he whimpered slightly as he shifted slightly, pain lancing through his head in response. At once there were gentle fingers in his hair, another hand brushing against his cheek and he tried to focus on the touches, using them to ground himself even as tears trickled down his cheeks. It hurts. He tried to find his voice, wanting to tell whoever was there how much it hurt, to beg them to make it go away but his voice didn’t seem to want to work, and all he could do was whimper once more.

“Easy Little Crow,” the soft voice startled him, and he let out a quiet noise of protest as the sound hurt his head, although it gave him something else to focus on and with difficulty, he managed to force his eyes open. The world was hazy and distorted, and he blinked slowly, nausea rolling in his stomach as everything seemed to whirl around him and he blinked again as he tried to bring everything back into focus.

   Yukari watched curiously as the vanguard struggled to get his bearings, the teen moving restlessly as pain and distress washed over him, his pale face displaying his confusion and fear for the world to see and the swordsman waited for Yata to realise that he was there. He had to admit that he was relieved that the teen had managed to wake up, and relatively quickly despite his earlier impatient thoughts, well aware that he could’ve been out longer from a head wound like that. _They’re lucky they didn’t kill him, h_ e thought angrily as his thoughts turned back to the clansmen that had caught him, the temptation to hunt them down rising once more, although he quashed it as Nagare would no doubt disapprove of him taking out clansman for such a reason. As it was it was going to take some time before the teen was well enough to even contemplate fighting him, and he had to quell the urge to pout at how easily his game had been disrupted, although he was confident that he would be able to come up with a new one in time if it proved necessary.

   He was taken by surprise a moment later as a trembling hand reached up to grip his, half expecting the teen to try and push him away, but when he glanced down it was to find the vanguard staring at him with a mix of confusion and oddly enough trust, and he found himself unable to speak. _What is going on in your head?_ He missed the defiance and anger that he’d faced back in the tower, but there was something intriguing about the current situation, and he settled for arching his eyebrow in question as he met Yata’s gaze, waiting for a spark of recognition or fear and yet the other's gaze remained uncomprehending.

“W-wh..at happened?” Yata managed to force out brokenly, his eyes sliding shut again as exhaustion and pain crashed down around him once more. He was trying to recall what had happened to cause the pain in his head, but he was drawing a blank, and it hurt to think so after a moment he gave up, turning his attention back to the man above him. There was something vaguely familiar about him, and there had been a brief flicker of irritation and fear at the nickname that had been used, but he couldn’t focus it enough to remember. Surely if he was helping him, that meant he could be trusted…right?

“What do you remember?” Yukari asked quietly carefully keeping his expression as even as possible, even though inside his thoughts were whirling and excitement was growing. If the teen honestly didn’t recall what was happening, there was a whole world of possibilities for future games that would open up before them, and his eyes lit up at the thought that maybe he could make this situation work to JUNGLEs benefit, which would silence Nagare and Sukuna’s complaints about his latest obsession.

“I don’t….” Yata shifted uneasily in distress, blinking as he tried to focus, his breathing come in small pants as fresh pain washed over him. _What happened to me?_ Screwing up his eyes despite the pain he tried desperately to remember what had happened, but all he could come up with was flashes of red and green, and he couldn’t make sense of what that meant beyond a vague awareness that he had been afraid back then. Distressed he turned his head towards the other man, shaking his head weakly. “I d-don’t know…an accident?”

“No,” Yukari shook his head, seeing a brief spark of comprehension in the hazel eyes holding his gaze before it faded away again, and his lips drew up in a small smirk as the confusion reappeared. _Oh Little crow, you’re making this so easy for me_. Carefully schooling his expression into one of concern before the teen could grow suspicious of his smirk, he squeezed the hand currently still clutching his, and his voice was soft as he spoke. “You were attacked…”

“A-attacked?”

“Yes,” Yukari replied gravely, struggling to keep his expression even, especially as he took in the fear that had blossomed at his words. It reminded him of the moment before he’d struck the crow down in the Tower, the moment that the vanguard had realised that there was nothing more that he could do but be a shield for his King. “But don’t worry about it now, you’re safe here.”

“But….” Yata protested weakly, not liking the vagueness of that answer as it didn’t help him to make sense of the crimson and green flashes in the back of his mind. _There’s something more._ He knew that there was something more, something just out of reach that he needed to remember, but the pain was increasing once more, his eyes growing heavy and he felt them slipping shut for a second before he managed to forced them open once more. “I…”

“Go to sleep Little Crow,” Yukari ordered, this time noting the irritation that flickered through Yata’s eyes at the nickname and his lips curled up slightly. _So he is still in there. That makes everything more interesting, he_ thought to himself although he was careful not to let it show as he felt Yata watching him with a strange intensity. Easily holding the sleepy gaze, he waited patiently as Yata’s eyes slowly closed as he lost the fight against the pull of sleep, unable to hold back a chuckle as a last sleepy protest slipped free.

“Don’t call me that…”

“Sure thing, Little Crow.”


	9. Chapter 9

   Yukari hummed softly to himself as he made his way to the main room, mentally revising his plans for the HOMRA vanguard as he walked. He was somewhat disappointed that he wasn’t going to get the chance to test himself against the Crow just yet, and yet there had been something immensely satisfying about the fact that the vanguard had turned to him of all people for comfort, and his lips curled up as their brief conversation flashed through his mind. It was likely that the teen’s current confusion and trust would disappear as the teen healed, or at least he hoped it would, but for the time being, it offered the potential for a different game. And if Misaki ended up getting back on his feet, it would just add a fresh challenge to the idea he was working on.

   With good humour he stepped into the room, causing the others to look up at his entrance, although Sukuna quickly turned back to whatever game he was working on at the moment.

“Yukari,” Tenkei was the first to speak, and there was genuine concern in his expression as he asked quietly. “How is the boy?”

“He’ll live,” Yukari replied as he leant against the wall beside the door, irritation flashing briefly across his face at how lucky they had been. If the blow had been a little harder, or the vanguard a little less stubborn, it would have been a different story altogether, and he made a note to find out what had happened to the clansmen that had broken his rules, but later. For the time being, he was more interested in setting up his new game. “And it seems as though he might be more useful to us now.”

“Useful?” Nagare echoed with a spark of interest.

“He seems to be having trouble remembering what happened,” Yukari said with a wolfish expression, while he was keen to fight the teen, he wasn’t opposed to the new game. “I want to see how far I can take that. If it pans out how I want we might have a new weapon at our disposal.” He doubted that it would be that simple, after all, it was clear from how fiercely the teen had fought against him in the tower just how close his ties with HOMRA were. But it wouldn’t be interesting unless it was a challenge, and it had been a long time since he’d been able to play a game like this, and Kuroh had proven to be too stubborn to bow to his will.

“Yukari…” Nagare added warningly.

“Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about the main game,” Yukari replied with a small smile, automatically knowing the reason behind the warning and he turned towards Nagare with a half bow, before adding cheerfully. “As my little Crow is resting at the moment I thought I might pay a visit to Kuroh-chan.” He only had so much patience and the thought of watching the vanguard sleep bored him, besides it had been a while since he’d played with the Silver, and it would give him the opportunity to pass on a message to the Reds. After all, he was sure that they were already out there looking for the vanguard.

“I want to come too,” Sukuna immediately piped up, discarding the game that he was playing and turning towards the older men with an enthusiastic expression, his hands twitching as though he was already imaging holding his weapon.

“Oh?” Yukari arched an eyebrow at him, remembering his earlier curiosity as to what had stopped Sukuna getting the points, and he couldn’t keep the teasing smile off his face even though he knew that it would only wind the boy up. “Are you feeling down because you weren’t the one to catch my Crow?”

“Shut up!”

“But I have to admit I was surprised,” Yukari commented with a smirk, immediately catching the twitch that had appeared in the teen’s eyes and he knew that it wouldn’t take much more to make him explode, and he couldn’t resist giving that final push. “You seemed so fired up.”

“I said shut up!” Sukuna shouted angrily, clenching his fists as he sprang to his feet and stepped towards the older man with a fierce glower on his face. “I nearly had him!”

“Nearly?” Yukari echoed with a smirk, amused to see the usually cock-sure teen trying to make excuses, but there was honest curiosity in his expression as he studied Sukuna for a moment, before adding. “It’s not like you to give up on a reward.” Green eyes flashed, and he waited to see if the teen would try and retaliate, but after a moment he glanced off to the side and muttered something under his breath. “What was that?”

“He ran away…” Sukuna muttered more loudly this time as he glanced off to the side, cheeks heating up with a mixture of embarrassment and anger and Yukari laughed _. So that’s what happened…_

“That’s my little Crow,” he commented when he stopped laughing, somewhat impressed that the vanguard had had the sense to get out of there. Perhaps he had learned something from their fight in the tower after all, and he pouted at the thought that he might not get to test that now. Pushing that thought aside he refocused on Sukuna, unwilling to give up on teasing him just yet, especially as he knew that he could always be relied upon to get riled by the simplest of taunts. “Although surely you should have been more prepared?”

“I…”

“Now now,” Tenkei interjected with a long-suffering sigh as he glanced towards their King for support, realising that Sukuna was close to completely losing his temper and keen to stop the destruction that would occur if that happened. It didn’t help that Nagare seemed more amused than anything, and with a touch of exasperation, he refocused on the bickering pair, attempting to install some sternness to his voice as he added quietly. “Stop teasing Sukuna.”

“Fine,” Yukari agreed after a moment as he caught the pleading look that the older man sent in his direction, but he couldn’t stop his lips curling up slightly as he turned back to Sukuna, taking in the flush of anger in the boy’s cheeks and the clenched fists and he couldn’t resist trying again. “But…”

“Yukari!” This time Nagare was the one to speak up, and with a defeated sigh Yukari subsided, well aware that he wouldn’t truly be punished if pushed the issue, but unable to come up with a valid reason for going against his King on such a trivial matter.

“Fine,” Yukari paused and glanced of Sukuna, realising that even if he tried to stop the boy from coming, Sukuna would just follow him regardless and probably end up getting in the way. It was better to give him permission and make sure he understood the rules of the game, rather than risk him causing havoc by being where he shouldn’t be. “I guess I’ll be going. If you’re coming, make sure you stay out of the fight.”

“But!” Sukuna protested at once.

“Kuroh-chan is mine!” Yukari snapped coldly, hand slipping to his sword as he stared at Sukuna with hard eyes, silently daring him to push the issue. While he might be more interested in his ‘guest’ at the moment, there was no way he was going to relinquish his claim on the Silver clansman, after all, they had a history together, and he wanted to make sure that Kuroh truly understood the difference between them. Drawing out Weismann would be an added bonus, even though he knew that was supposed to be his main focus at the moment.

“You have the vanguard!” Sukuna protested as he gathered himself once more, eyes narrowed as he stared at Yukari before glancing across at Nagare for support. However, their King seemed content to just watch them bicker for the time being and with an irritated huff he turned back to Yukari, with a fiercer scowl than before. “You can’t claim everyone!”

“I’m sure we’ll have company,” Yukari replied, deciding that it was time to calm the situation down, and growing impatient to head out and find the Silvers. He resolutely ignored the approving look he could feel coming from Tenkei, instead crossing his arms as he stared at Sukuna. “HOMRA and SCEPTER 4 are probably in a tizzy right now, so you can deal with whoever they send our way. You might even get some good points out of it.” He knew that he had the teen by the way green eyes lit up at that, letting out a soft sigh and wondering when he had softened to the point where he would try and appease the boy, even if they were members of the same clan.

“Fine…” Sukuna muttered.

   Yukari smirked at the sullen answer, before nodding his head towards his King and Iwafune before turning and heading for the door, not bothering to slow down even as he heard Sukuna scrambling to chase after him.

“I’ll find the Silver King for you!” He called back over his shoulder just before the door closed behind him, anticipation building at the thought of getting to test Kuroh’s resolve once more.

*

“What are you thinking Nagare?” Tenkei asked after the other two had left, settling onto the sofa with a weary sigh and opening a fresh beer, glancing across at Nagare who was studying his computer screen with an oddly thoughtful expression.

“That things are getting more interesting,” Nagare replied with a small grin, glancing up from the screen to look at the older man before adding eagerly. “I look forward to seeing what Yukari can achieve with this new game of his.”

“Let’s just hope we don’t get burned,” Tenkei mumbled under his breath, taking a large sip of his beer before glancing across at Nagare and adding warningly. “HOMRA isn’t likely to take their vanguard’s capture sitting down.”

“That only increases the fun,” Nagare pointed out, and Tenkei sighed, sometimes wishing that he wasn’t the only one that had flashes of maturity in their clan, but there was something about the childish glint in Nagare’s eyes that made him hold back that thought. Still, he felt that he had to say something, not wanting their plans to be derailed when they had already taken so many steps towards their goal, and not after everything that Nagare had endured just to get to this point.

“Don’t forget your main plan.”

“I haven’t,” Nagare replied with a hint of sharpness, this time meeting Tenkei’s gaze head-on and the older man could see the determination and barely restrained power in their restraints, allowing that glimpse to reassure him although he wanted to groan as the younger man proceeded to grin as he added softly. “But…”

_You always want more…_

****

   Kuroh sighed as he glanced down at his PDA, before glancing across at Neko who was watching him with worried eyes. It was only that morning that they’d finally heard from Anna about what had happened with Misaki, and the swordsman had been out of sorts ever since, and she knew that it had something to do with what he said about Yukari the other day, but she didn’t dare ask what had happened. All that she could do for him at the moment was stay by his side, although she had been relieved when he had been the one to suggest that they join the search for the missing vanguard, even if she knew part of his motivation was because he wanted to face Yukari once more. Her own motivation was more straightforward - she had heard the fear in Anna’s voice when they’d spoken, and she didn’t want to hear the other girl sound like that.

   After weeks of reduced attacks by JUNGLE they had no fresh leads of their own to follow, and Anna had told them that so far neither HOMRA or SCEPTER 4 had any specific leads and so it had been agreed that they would join the reds that were currently combing their own territory before branching out into the broader city. It was an immense task, and Kuroh was aware that they might not like what they found, especially if it took them longer than a few days to find the missing teen. His expression darkening at the thought of what Yukari was capable of. Their Master had more or less managed to hold him in check in the past, but it seemed like Hisui and JUNGLE were willing to give his freedom, and that scared him far more than he had let onto HOMRA the other day when they’d asked what his former clansman was like. _Perhaps I should have told them more…_

“Hello, Kuroh-chan…” The sudden voice startled him out of his dark thoughts, and beside him, Neko let out an alarmed meow before pressing into his side, and he followed her gaze upwards, eyes widening as he found Yukari standing atop the bridge support staring down at him with a smug expression. Kuroh’s expression tightened, but before he could say anything, Yukari had sprung down onto the path in front of him, and despite himself, he took a half-step back.

“Mishakuji Yukari,” Kuroh said quietly as he held out an arm, gently shepherding Neko behind him even as he gripped his sword in preparation, scanning the area around them to make sure it wasn’t an ambush. They were too close to the school for him to risk letting other greens sneak past him while he was dealing with Yukari, but it seemed as though the older man had come alone, and he shifted his attention back to Yukari. “I’m surprised to see you here, given your recent actions. What the hell are you playing at with the HOMRA vanguard?”

“Oh?” Yukari seemed surprised for a moment, a smirk spreading slowly across his lips as he rose to his full height, drawing his blade in readiness. “You’ve heard about that? Still, I would have thought that you’d be more concerned with yourself at the moment, or have you improved enough to face me with confidence?” Kuroh’s eyes narrowed as he drew his own weapon, ignoring the unhappy noise from Neko as he stepped forward with determination.

“I will stop you,” Kuroh retorted, not missing the way the older man had avoided answering his question and he just hoped that they weren’t going to be too late to find the HOMRA vanguard. The alliance between the clans had already fallen apart, and he dreaded to think what destruction would happen if HOMRA lost their clansman now.

“Then show me,” Yukari ordered imperiously as he dropped into a ready position, eyes glittering as he caught the anger that flickered over the younger’s face. Still so easy to tease Kuroh-chan… He was torn between wanting to settle things between them, well aware that Kuroh could become a thorn in their side in the future, especially if his King returned and wanting to wait and see how much more he could grow. Still, he had a job to do for the time being, and so with a teasing smirk, he taunted the younger man. “Show me how you’ve grown Kuroh-chan!” With a growl that lived up to his nickname as the Black dog Kuroh charged, well aware that he was playing into the older man’s hands, but equally determined not to lose this battle.

**

   Fushimi had just been leaving headquarters to head back to HOMRA when the alarm had come in, at first he had ignored it and headed for the door, after all, he had been given leave to focus on finding Misaki for the time being. Although he still wasn’t sure who he had to thank for that, as Awashima had seemed out of sorts when she’d given him the news, and he had yet to see Munakata. However, he hadn’t been able to resist checking his PDA to see what was going on, immediately halting as he saw that some of the Greens had been spotted on the island, his hands tightening around the device as his eyes narrowed darkly. _JUNGLE._ Growling under his breath he slipped the device back into his pocket, checking that he had his weapons before heading towards the stairs at a faster pace than before.

“Fushimi!” Awashima had appeared in the doorway, a phone pressed to her ear, and he guessed that she was already mobilising the rest of their men, but he didn’t slow down, having no real interest in making this a team effort. After all, the rest of SCEPTER 4 had been ordered to focus on holding JUNGLE back despite the previous alliance, although it had been an unofficial one, which meant that they were likely to sweep in and take control and possibly destroying any chance he had to get information.

“I’m going,” He called back sharply as he waved the PDA in her direction, irritated at the holdup/ While he doubted very much that Misaki would be there, it was the first alert they’d had on JUNGLE since the vanguard had been taken and he wasn’t going to throw away an opportunity to get information.

“At least wait for backup,” she called after him as he resumed walking, realising that there was going to be no stopping him at the moment as she caught the grim expression he was wearing, and in her head she growled at their Captain for ordering the rest of SCEPTER 4 to take a step back from the situation with HOMRA. She might not agree with the close involvement with the more chaotic clan, but the fact remained that they were on the same side and that they had also failed to get there in time the day that Yata Misaki had been taken.

“You can meet me there,” Fushimi replied impatiently not even bothering to look back, and she sighed as she nodded in understanding although he wasn’t looking at her. Frowning she watched until he was out of sight before turning her attention back to her call, making a note to give Kusanagi a heads up as well, deciding that sharing information wasn’t going too far against Munakata’s injunction against getting involved.

**

   Kuroh had known that it wasn’t going to be an easy fight, but he had hoped that he had grown since their battle in the tower and yet from the start, he found himself on the defensive. In the background, he could hear Neko’s worried cries after her attempt to help had been swiftly blown apart, but he couldn’t spare the breath to reassure her that he was alright, needing all his focus just to stop Yukari’s blade from breaking through his defence. _How is he this strong?_ He knew that there was a world of difference in their experience and motivation, and yet he was stood here defending what was precious to him. His home and what remained of his clan. So, why couldn’t he win against the older man? Gritting his teeth he charged forwards once more, trying to summon up the same resolve he’d felt in the tower, and yet once again his attack was thwarted with ease, and he found himself flying backwards with a cry.

   Apparently, Yukari had, had enough of playing around because the dancing blade was suddenly everywhere and despite his best attempts there was no way that Kuroh could keep up with it and he soon found himself on his knees in front of the older man. Angry tears stinging in the corners of his eyes as he realised that this was the same position he’d wound up in at the tower, only this time there was no headstrong Reds to protect him, and his hands tightened on his sword as he _struggled to force himself back to his feet, Neko’s cries echoing in his ears. I_ can’t afford to let it end here…They still had to find their King, and he owed it to HOMRA and more specifically the vanguard to bring him home. His efforts to rise stilled a moment later though as he felt cold steel pressing against his throat, silver eyes darkening as he gazed up at Yukari. Swallowing nervously as he realised that the usual mocking light in the older man’s eyes had been replaced with a grim expression that told him the man was earnest about ending it this time.

“It looks like you haven’t grown as much as I’d hoped,” Yukari commented in a disappointed tone as he studied the younger man, unable to stop his thoughts from drifting to the hot-headed crow that had got in his way the last time. This time there would be no such interference, especially as it didn’t appear as though the Silver King had any intention of putting an appearance. _Nagare won’t be pleased_ … “It looks like this will be ending today. I suppose that is for the best though, after all, someone like you has no place in the world my King is building.”

“I won’t lose,” Kuroh ground out, ignoring the blade that was now pressing hard enough to draw a faint line of blood on his throat as he tried once more to rise to his feet. This might not be a battle that he could win, but he’d be damned if he let it end like this.

“Stay down Kuroh-chan,” Yukari warned as he pressed harder with his blade. “I might even end it quickly if you stay down!”

“Never!” Kuroh retorted, his world narrowing down to the sword in front of him, although he could still vaguely hear Neko shouting something behind him and he wished that he could find the words to reassure her. Knowing that if he fell here that she would wind up on her own. However, his voice was trapped as Yukari lifted the blade away, eyes darkening as he prepared for the final blow and Kuroh closed his eyes as he braced himself for it as he realised that he was out of time.

**

   Fushimi had barely made it into the school before he was accosted by a boy that he recognised from what little CCTV footage they had been able to retrieve of what happened the day that Misaki had been taken. He’d immediately drawn his sword, the image of the teen in front of him trying to take out Misaki fanning the flames of his already poorly contained temper.

“Where the hell is he!” Fushimi snarled as he attacked, aware that he was being reckless as he had no idea what the kid was capable of and not liking the confident expression that he was wearing. Tightening his hold on his sword he slipped his hand into his uniform, reaching for his daggers even as he let his aura flare slightly, beginning to wish that he had listened to Awashima and waited for backup. _But if he has information on Misaki…_

“Oh, you mean the HOMRA vanguard?” Sukuna asked as he forced the older teen back, scowling slightly as Fushimi managed to twist out of the way just in time to avoid the blow that would have ended the fight. Gripping his weapon tightly he backed up slightly, smirking as the Blue glowered at him before adding cheerfully. “He’s our guest, although from what I heard he might not last that long,” he added with a grin, and Fushimi faltered for a moment.

_Misaki…_

*

   Kuroh waited, but the blow never came, and instead, there was a strong blast that nearly sent him flying backwards, and his eyes flew open only to find himself staring up at a familiar figure, and all thoughts of defeat and HOMRA fled from his mind. _Shiro…_ After everything that had happened, and all the near misses with JUNGLE he had begun to think that maybe just maybe their King was actually dead or had given up on them and he felt guilty for those doubts as the took in the furious expression on his King’s face as the older man slowly straightened. So far he hadn’t glanced at Kuroh or Neko whose frightened cries had given away to sniffles, and Kuroh risked a glance at her, unsurprised to find tears of joy on her face as she stared wide-eyed at Shiro.

“What a pity…” Yukari’s voice rang out and Kuroh immediately turned back to look at him, noticing how Shiro had also tensed defensively in front of him and he swallowed hard at the sight. _I’m the one that’s supposed to protect you_ …Yukari didn’t seem overly fazed though, sheathing his weapon in one smooth movement before continuing in a soft tone. “I didn’t expect my task to be completed so soon. However, I suppose it is for the best as I have other things to handle.” Inside he was struggling to hide his glee, having begun to doubt that this plan was going to work. But now it meant that he was free to continue with his own plans until JUNGLE was ready to move forward again, and there was a smirk on his lips as he made to turn away.

“Wait!” Kuroh shouted before he’d even thought about what he was doing.

“Our fight today is over Kuroh-chan,” Yukari turned back to look at him, a somewhat pitying expression on his face as he studied Kuroh who stared back, struggling not to flush at the fact that he still hadn’t managed to rise to his feet. “You have your King to thank for that, but bear in mind I will settle things with you soon.” At this Shiro scowled and opened his mouth to speak and Kuroh stared at him, eager to hear his King’s voice once more, but Yukari spoke before Shiro could, offering the Silverette a small but respectful bow. “Silver King, I apologise for my abrupt departure and the fact that my King was not here to greet you, but I’m sure that will be rectified soon.”

“So your goal was to draw me out,” Shiro said after a moment, and Kuroh’s eyes widened in alarm, _he had been bait?_ However, it didn’t seem as though his King was overly concerned by that fact, although unless he had changed completely, that might not mean anything. Shiro had remained carefree and seemingly irresponsible right until the end, even though during the island incident he had been clearly acting with a set plan. “It would appear that you succeeded.”

“It was what my King commanded,” Yukari replied with a careless shrug before his gaze sharpened as he studied the older man with curious eyes. “Although I somewhat surprised that you took the bait so easily.”

“A King protects their clan, and you were threatening both my family and my home,” Shiro replied, and this time there was an edge to his voice, and Kuroh sucked in a startled breath. Reminded for a moment about how he had sounded the moment he had ordered him not to follow him into the battle with the Blue and Red Kings and he blinked back sudden tears. This was his King. This was the reason he had been fighting, and yet he still wasn’t strong enough to protect him.

“A King protects their clan, huh?” Yukari questioned with a thoughtful frown, a light appearing in his eyes as a new idea formed and his lips curled up, but he quickly cleared his expression and offered Shiro another bow, although this one was more mocking. “Understood. Until we meet again.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and began to walk away, only to pause after a few steps, glancing back over his shoulder and meeting Kuroh’s wary gaze with a smirk as he added challengingly. “Kuroh-chan I hope that you’re stronger the next time we meet.” This time he walked off without looking back, and Kuroh clenched his hands into fists against the ground, well aware that both Neko and his King were watching him worried eyes as he replied silently to the challenge.

_I will be because Shiro is here now. Next time, I will be the one that wins._

****

   Anna froze looking up from the map that she as studying as she felt the surge of power in the air, her eyes widening as she recognised the familiar energy and she knew even before she’d rushed across to the door to peer at the sky what she’d find. Crimson eyes glittering as she studied the Sword of Damocles that she could see in the distance. A sword that she hadn’t seen Mikoto had fallen, and she wasn’t prepared for the spark of anger that rose in her chest at the sight of it, as she had nothing against the clan or its King. _But if he had come back sooner Misaki… Misaki might not have been targeted, and he might not have been taken…_

“Anna?”

“The Silver King…” Anna whispered turning to glance up at Kusanagi who had appeared at her side, raising a hand to point at the sword before adding quietly. “He’s back!”

“Now?” Kusanagi demanded, and she could see an echo of her own emotions in his dark eyes as he studied the sword for a moment. “JUNGLE has made its move then…” He added with a sigh. Seri had sent him a message that something was happening at the island and that Fushimi had already headed in that direction, but Anna had insisted that Misaki wasn’t there and that they should have faith in Saruhiko, at the time he hadn’t really argued but now he couldn’t help but wonder what they might have missed.

“It doesn’t matter,” Anna said quietly, and he glanced down at her, no longer surprised by the fierce expression on her face as she turned away from the door, crimson eyes flashing as she added strongly. “I don’t care what JUNGLE’s other plans are, or what the Silvers intend to do from now on.”

“Anna…” He protested weakly, although he already knew and understood the reason behind her words and in all honesty, they echoed his own feelings.

“Until Misaki is home, HOMRA is going to remain independent,” she finished, and he sighed and nodded, unwilling to argue and unsure what he could have said even if he had felt strongly enough to try. Despite her composure around others, he knew that she was barely holding herself together, only the night before he had heard her crying in the privacy of her road when they’d forced her to go upstairs to rest, and he had no idea to comfort her…well aware that the only thing that could do that was having Yata back safe and sound, and with no idea how they were going to do that at the moment.

_Wait for us Yata. Don’t you dare give up, as Anna needs you…HOMRA needs you._

****

   Fushimi was barely managing to hold his own, his breath coming in harsh pants as he struggled just to stave off the boy’s attacks _. How is he this strong? He's just a kid..._ The thought that there might be more people like this boy and Yukari in JUNGLE worried him more than he wanted to admit, as it was clear from the way his opponent had reacted to his questions about Misaki that they had no intention of handing him over without a fight. Which meant that they were going to have to find a way to defeat them. A grunt of pain escaped as the scythe caught his shoulder, and he sprang back with a growl, reaching up to brush against the wound and grimacing as his fingers came away stained red. However, he didn’t have time to worry about it as the boy was immediately on him once more, and he was forced to spring backwards, a flurry of knives slowly the next attack enough to allow him to avoid it, although he found himself sinking to his knees as he landed.

_Damn it, I’m nearly out of knives…where the hell is Awashima and the others?_

“Looks like it’s going to be my win,” the boy taunted as he stalked towards him, and Fushimi couldn’t summon up the energy to retort. _Seriously, I’m going to be taken out by a brat like this? But Misaki_ …Desperately he tried to rise to his feet once more, the thought of Misaki out there needing their help enough to renew his strength, but his body didn’t seem to want to obey his commands, and all he could do was watch with dark eyes as his potential death stalked closer. _When did I become this weak?_

“Sukuna-chan we’re leaving,” a new voice rang out, and the Blue tensed as he immediately recognised it, eyes widening as he raised his head, hatred burning in his chest as Yukari appeared behind them and it was only then that he realised that the boy… _Sukuna was it_ …had come to a halt, although he looked less than happy as he turned to look at the older man.

“But…”

“Mishakuji Yukari…” Fushimi snarled angrily before Yukari had a chance to reply to his clansman, his eyes narrowed with fury as he forced himself back to his feet, ignoring the sting from his wounded shoulder as he grasped his sword once more.

“I have to admit I’m surprised,” Yukari commented as he turned his to Fushimi, lips curling up in amusement as the shorter male growled, practically vibrating with anger and he wondered if the teen would be foolish enough to try and go against them when he was already injured. Torn between wanting to fight him once more, and wanting to keep him out there as he knew how close the Blue was with his Little Crow. In the end, it was the thought of how that would help in his game that held him back, and he removed the hand that had automatically snuck towards the hilt of his weapon, his smirk growing as he added quietly. “I thought you’d be too busy looking for the Little Crow to deal with something like this, or have you already written him off?”

“You…” Fushimi growled furiously, the same burning anger that had engulfed him when he’d first found Misaki’s things rising in his chest once more, and he raised his hand to check that the headphones were still around his neck as he took an unsteady step forward.

_I will never give up on him!_

“I look forward to fighting you again one day,” Yukari commented as he considered the Blue for a moment, catching the fury in the dark eyes that met his and wondering idly just how far the teen would go for the HOMRA vanguard. _Perhaps I will get to find out_ …Still, he knew that now wasn’t the time to indulge in that curiosity, not with the Silver King on the island and their current objective already achieved, so with a slight sigh he gave the teen a mocking bow. “But I’m afraid it’s time for us to leave.”

“But I haven’t finished!” Sukuna protested.

“We did what we set out to do,” Yukari told him sharply, eyes narrowed as he stared at the boy. This was why he had been somewhat reluctant to bring him along for the job. However, his irritation faded as he glanced back at Fushimi who had staggered to a halt at some point. “Besides…” He smirked, waiting until he was certain that he had the Blue’s attention before adding softly. “I have our precious guest to look after.”

“Wait!” Fushimi shouted as he charged forwards, fury and worry rising at those words and allowing him to forget his weariness as he demanded urgently. “What do you…?” Just before he could reach them, there was a blinding flash of green, and he was forced to throw his arm up to protect his eyes, trembling slightly as he felt the power of the flash wash over him. As soon as he felt it beginning to clear, he looked up, already knowing what he was going to find, but he couldn’t stop his expression from darkening as he realised that the pair had disappeared. “Damn it all!”

_Misaki…_

*****

The next day:

   Yukari studied the sleeping teen with curious eyes, taking the opportunity to fully appreciate the sight of him, as during their previous encounters he had been focused on either fighting him or treating his injuries. Looking at him now it was hard to imagine that their fight had lasted so long, the teen looked tiny in the bed, his face still unnaturally pale with dark shadows under his eyes. Nothing like the fiery Crow that had flown at him in fierce defence of his King, and in his own way he mourned the loss of that teen, although he still hoped that there was a chance he would recover. The vanguard had been drifting in and out of sleep all day, often dozing off in the middle of conversations, but so far it was clear that his memories were still piecemeal at best and while it was entertaining in his own way, it was beginning to become boring. It didn’t help that they had to wait to take the next stop in their primary plan, waiting to see what the Silver King would do now that he had returned. After all, he was potentially the biggest hindrance to their plans. Still, that gave him time to focus on his own game…

“Little Crow I think it’s time we started our new game…” He said softly, reaching out to brush a hand over the sleeping teen’s cheek before he rose to his feet, eyes glittering as he added with a small smile. “I hope that you’ll show me an interesting sight.”

****

   Fushimi sighed as he stared blankly at the computer screen, reaching up to rub his sore eyes even as he stifled a yawn. He’d only managed a couple of hours sleep since Misaki had been taken, and it was beginning to catch up on him, but whenever someone suggested that he take a break or try and catch up on his sleep he refused…how could he rest when they had no idea what was happening to Misaki? The one time he had rested, he’d found himself assaulted by nightmarish images of what could be happening to the vanguard, not helped by his encounter with Yukari the previous day. Gritting his teeth at the thought of the older man he reached up and brushed his hand over his bandaged shoulder, the pain yet another reminder of how he had failed Misaki, and how he was continuing to fail the vanguard.

   Forcing himself back to the present he turned his attention back to the screen, ignoring the worried looks he could feel from Anna and Kamamoto who were working to comb through what data they had managed to compile. The rest of HOMRA were currently out combing their territory for any sign of Misaki or JUNGLE except Kusanagi who was doing what he could to patch up the bar and keep an eye over Anna. The Silver clan hadn’t yet made contact, but Anna had already made it plain that she had no intention of entering another alliance even if one was proposed until Yata was home. He was just about to click onto the JUNGLE network when a link flashed up on the screen, and his eyes narrowed as he stared at it, well aware that it would take something special to get through the security he had on the computer.

   After a moment’s hesitation, he forced himself to click on the link, only to feel the colour drain out of his face as it opened. It was a stupid, pixelated graphic and yet he felt his stomach drop as he stared at it. What was clearly meant to be Misaki, if the small wings coming from the figures back was any indication, Yukari’s hated nickname for the vanguard coming back to haunt him as he stared at the image. After a moment the image began to move, and he couldn’t hold back a growl as it depicted the vanguard being chased and caught by faceless JUNGLE members before the same message. **_The Crow is ours now_**. Flashed across a black screen, before the graphic ended, showing Misaki enclosed in a cage formed of green light, the red flames surrounding him slowly turning green as well, as Fushimi watched.

“Kusanagi-san,” he called tersely as he found his voice, ignoring the curious looks from the other and struggling not to snarl as the graphic restarted itself as well, knowing that the older man would need to see this, his hand tightening so hard on the mouse that it creaked in protest. _They’re going this far…_

“What is it?” The barkeeper was at his side at once, and Fushimi silently gestured at the screen unable to put what he was watching into words. The older man immediately tensed, and the Blue was hard pressed not to lean away as Kusanagi’s aura flared out, his voice hard as he demanded. “Is that, Yata?”

“Yes…”

“Misaki?!” Anna exclaimed shooting to her feet with a mix of hope and worry in her eyes, and Fushimi winced as she glared at him for a moment, clearly not happy that he had called for Kusanagi first and not her and he glanced helplessly at the older man. It had been hard enough showing her the image of Misaki on the phone, the thought of showing her this latest taunt…

“Anna,” Kusanagi said softly, the reluctant expression on his face telling Fushimi that they’d had the same thoughts. “They’re just taunting us, it’s not something…”

“Show me…” The order was just as irrevocable as it had been the other day, and once again Fushimi found himself pushing the device towards her, silently apologising to Misaki as he did so as he knew that the vanguard wouldn’t want her to see. _It’s just a stupid graphic_ , he tried to convince himself, but he knew that wasn’t going to work. Not with Yukari’s expression as he spoke of getting back to Misaki flashed through his mind, and he hastily refocused on the Red King in an attempt to stop his own emotions from going to pieces.

  Anna had been completely quiet for several minutes, crimson eyes never wavering from the screen and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. However, the silence started to become unbearable, and Kusanagi coughed lightly before opening his mouth to speak when suddenly she raised her head, and to their surprise, she looked more determined than ever.

“That won’t happen!”

“Anna?” Fushimi asked in confusion, a quick glance at Kusanagi and Kamamoto who had come across to see the graphic as well, confirming that they were just as confused as he was. Anna smiled at them, although there was a slightly dangerous edge to the expression which stopped it from being as reassuring as she had no doubt wanted it to be.

“Misaki…” She paused for a moment before raising her hand, allowing her aura to play around it before adding in a strong voice. “Misaki will never lose his red as easily as that, no matter what they try and do to him.” There was no hint of doubt or uncertainty in her voice, and Fushimi could only stare at her with shocked eyes. He had always been aware of how much faith she and the rest of HOMRA for that moment had in Misaki but to this extent?

_I hope you’re right…_

**

   Fushimi had managed to hold himself together until he got back to the sanctuary of his own dorm room, avoiding headquarters even though Awashima had sent him a message requesting that he stop by and fill her in on the events at the island, as he had gone straight to HOMRA after his ‘defeat’ and remained there ever since. He knew that they must’ve seen the graphic as well, but there was no way he was up to talking to anyone else about it, it had been hard enough to keep his mask in place when he was surrounded by people who cared for Misaki as much as he did. The thought of trying to talk about it with people that had no attachment to the vanguard was more than he could bear at the moment, and it was with relief that he closed his bedroom door behind himself, immediately slumping down against it as it felt like all the strength had drained out of his legs.

“Damn it!” He cursed angrily, burying his head against his knees as he felt his eyes beginning to sting with the tears that he hadn’t been able to shed earlier. It had been bad enough knowing that he had failed to protect Misaki and that he hadn’t been strong enough to deal with Yukari and the odd boy that was with him the day before. But to actually have confirmation that JUNGLE was actually starting to act against Misaki made it worse, and he realised that at some point he had made himself believe that they wouldn’t harm the vanguard. That he had needed to believe it so that he could function. It was easier to imagine him a prisoner and scared than imagine just what the Greens could do to him, and he knew that he would no longer be able to cling to that delusion and he gritted his teeth. “Misaki…”

****

Two days later:

   Yata felt more alert this time as he drifted awake, although his head still ached dully and he soon discovered that if he moved too quickly, it sent spikes of pain lancing through it. Hissing at the sensation he slowly eased himself into an upright position, reaching up to rub the sleep out of his eyes, and swallowing as the room swayed around him for a moment before settling down. It was only when the world had stabilised that it occurred to him that he didn’t recognise the room, at least not beyond the disjointed memories from the last couple of days, and there was a spark of fear at that realisation. _Where the hell am I?_ Motivated by his raising fear he pushed back the covers and gingerly swung himself around, feeling himself pale as fresh pain lanced through his head.

“Ow…” Yata grumbled as he clutched his head, carefully avoiding the sorest part and his eyes narrowed as he felt the bandage covering it _. Someone took care of me?_ Glancing down he scowled as he took in the state of his clothes, easily recognising the signs of having been in a fight, even before he noticed the bandages on his arm and the strap that had been wrapped around his ankle. _Who was I fighting?_ Everything still seemed hazy and confused in his mind, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling forming in his stomach, _why tend to my injuries and not my clothes?_ Disliking the questions swirling in his head and the lack of immediate answers he shifted his attention to the rest of the room, trying to wait before risk moving once more.

   It was small, and he shifted uneasily at that observation, having never really been a big fan of enclosed spaces. Forcing himself to calm down he glanced around, trying to ignore the way the room swayed at random intervals, not that there was much more to see. Aside from the bed, there was what appeared to be a small bathroom area in the corner, which comprised of nothing more than a basin and a toilet partially concealed by a curtain. It certainly wasn’t a room that he recognised, and despite its simplicity, there was something unnerving about it, and it was that feeling that forced him to his feet despite the pain it caused. Everything swayed again for a moment, and he was forced to grab the bed to try and steady himself freezing as something sharp cut into his hand and blinking hard to clear his vision he slowly turned towards the source of the pain. Feeling like everything around him had turned to ice as his gaze settled on the single green rose that had been left beside him on the bed, and what little colour he had drained away as memory came crashing back down on him.

   _The attack on the bar…fleeing with Kamamoto and then trying to draw the greens away from his injured friends…his clash with the strange boy…and the final fight in the alleyway…_

   He blinked, his earlier fear morphing into full-blown terror as he realised that he must’ve been captured, although everything after talking to the Green clansman was hazy. But as he tried to shift through the messed up memories he stilled, nausea rising as he vaguely recalled Yukari being there and that he had spoken to the man without truly realising who he was. _Attacked, he said that I was attacked, but he gave no hint that it was JUNGLE that had attacked me_. _So, what the hell is he playing at?_ The fact that the bounty had called for his capture rather than his death had unnerved him from the start, especially as not even Saru had been able to work out what they wanted, but now it seemed like it could potentially be worse than they’d expected and he swallowed hard.

_Shit…Shit…Shit…_

   With increasing panic, he moved forwards, limping slightly as his injured ankle protested supporting his weight, eyes darting around wildly as he began to search every inch of the room, trying to find some way out as he knew that it wouldn’t be long before Yukari returned. _How long have I been here?_ His memories of the time that he’d been here were too messed up to work out how much time had passed, and his expression darkened as his thoughts turned to his friends, to Anna. _They must be so worried…_ He could remember talking to Kusanagi and the older man promising that they were on their way, and he gritted his teeth as he realised that they had been too late. After everything, they had done to try and keep him safe…and worse he doubted that JUNGLE would have been able to resist just taking him, without leaving a taunt of some side, and he clenched his hands at the thought of what they might have found _. I’m sorry…_

   With renewed urgency he continued his search, knowing that he couldn’t rely entirely on them managing to find him, although he had no doubt at all that they would be looking for him. However, it quickly became clear that there was no other way in or out apart from the door, and he knew before trying it that it would be locked, although he hadn’t been prepared for the green light that flared around it when he touched the handle, and he stumbled back with an alarmed cry. A shiver working through him at the sight of the hated green light, and he could feel his heart beginning to pound as he realised that he wasn’t going to find a way out like this.

_I’m trapped…_

**

  Yukari glanced down at his tablet as a quiet alarm sounded, and his eyes widened as he realised that the vanguard had been trying to get out of his room, and a pleased smile appeared. He had been disappointed by the fact that the teen had so far refused to leave the bed, although he had just written that off as he knew it would take time for him to recover from the head wound. Now, however, there was excitement racing through his body as he rose gracefully to his feet. The question now was whether it was the confused crow trying to escape his cage out curiosity, or whether it was a sign that his memories were beginning to return. Either way, it was a sign that he could start his game in earnest and now that they had drawn the Silver King out there was no reason for Nagare to complain until they entered the next stage of their plan.

   Stretching briefly, he made his way slowly to the door. If the vanguard was beginning to regain his memories, then it was better to make him wait and allow the fear to build up, besides he hadn’t completely decided on his first move yet and he wanted to have at least a rough plan in place before facing the teen. Being confronted by the Blue third again had given him a spark of an idea, one that would hopefully give him the chance to toy with both teens. It was just a case of deciding how to approach it, and much of that would depend on the vanguard’s state of mind, and how he was going to react to the gift that Nagare had given him.

_Let the games begin._

*

  Yata had been forced to retreat to the bed after a while, his head feeling sore and heavy, and it was only sheer willpower and fear that were stopping him from giving in to the exhaustion that was crashing down on him in waves. There was no way he could risk being asleep if Yukari appeared, just the thought that he had been so trusting and careless around the older man in the last day or so left a sinking feeling in his stomach, and there was no way he could risk that happening again. Besides, he had a feeling that the only reason nothing had really happened was because of his lack of memory, and he had a feeling that the Green wasn’t going to be so accommodating now that his head had cleared slightly. It had occurred to him that it might be better to keep up the pretence, but he doubted that he was going to be able to hide his fear, besides it was hard enough just to focus on necessary things at the moment let alone trying to keep up an act. _Not that I’ve ever been good at acting…_

   Still, he had apparently sunk into a doze of some sort as he jolted awake violently when there was a noise from the door, his eyes flying open as green light flared once more. Ignoring the pain and clouded feeling in his head he shot to his feet, refusing to face the Green in a vulnerable position, although there was nothing he could do to mask the fear that he knew was written across his face as the door opened. The moment Yukari stepped into the room Yata’s mind went temporarily blank, and all he could summon up was the memory of the older man’s blade sliding into his chest, and he couldn’t stop his hand from reaching up to cover the scar.

   Yukari could tell the moment he laid eyes on the teen that his memories were coming back to him, and he came to a halt. Taking a minute to take in the wide, frightened eyes and the shaking hand that crept up to cover the spot where he had stabbed the teen in the tower, and he felt his lips curl up slightly.

“Little Crow,” he purred as he moved forward, internally doing a dance of glee at the thought of getting to play with the vanguard that he’d faced in the tower. The hated nickname snapped Yata out of his memories, and hazel eyes narrowed as anger surged up, briefly overwhelming his fear, and Yukari caught a glimpse of the furious glare before the teen shot towards him.

   Hearing that name had given Yata courage, and he wasn’t about to waste the opportunity, and he pushed past the pain of his injuries as he charged, hoping to get at least one blow in before he was either stopped or his body gave out on him. However, what he hadn’t be prepared for was the green light that flared instead of his flames as he drew his arm back in preparation and he skidded to a halt just shy of the older man, staring down at his hands as he immediately abandoned his efforts to use his fire. _What…?_ A chuckle drew his attention, and his attention snapped back to Yukari, eyes narrowing at the amused and knowing look the older man was sending him, and he immediately knew that the swordsman was somehow responsible for whatever was going on with his aura.

“What the hell have you done!” Yata demanded in alarm as he stared down at his hands, blanching as a second attempt to draw out his red sent green sparks skittering across his skin. _What is this? Where is my red?_ Clenching his hands, he raised his head to stare at the swordsman who was watching him with amusement, and his temper flared once more at that reaction, and he gritted his teeth. “What did you do?” He ground out fiercely.

“Careful Little Crow, I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself,” Yukari cautioned mockingly, making a note to thank Nagare for his little addition to the game as he caught the fear in the hazel eyes as Misaki stared down at his hands once more.

“Don’t call me that!” Yata spat angrily, hazel eyes glittering even as he took a careful step backwards, paling slightly as the movement jostled his head and the room span around him. Fear overtaking the anger as he realised that there was no way he could fight in this state, and he fought to stop himself from openly panicking, refusing to give the swordsman that satisfaction. Shakily he raised a hand and brought it to rest over his HOMRA tattoo, missing the way Yukari’s eyes brightened at the gesture, and instead drawing comfort from the mark. He might not be able to use his red at the moment, but he was still connected to HOMRA, to Anna and that was enough to give him the strength to growl softly. “I’m going to kill you!” _I just have no idea how_ …

“I’m glad to see you back to normal. It’ll make our game far more interesting,” Yukari replied with a smile, seemingly unfazed by the threat as he resumed moving towards Yata who instinctively backed up, only to curse as his knees hit the bed and he fell backwards with a cry as he jolted his head, eyes widening as the older man continued to head in his direction with an increasingly threatening expression.

_Anna…Saruhiko…Hurry..._


	10. Chapter 10

   Yata stared blank-eyed at the wall, trying to ignore the way his vision continued to blur slightly at the edges and fighting back a yawn. He had no idea what time it was, let alone how long he’d been here and he felt oddly adrift. _How long has it been since I was taken? How long have the others been looking for me?_ If he were to guess, he would say that it had been a couple of days at least since he’d last seen Yukari, but there was no way of knowing for sure. He’d been left completely alone since then, although someone had obviously been in at some point while he was asleep as he’d woken to find a small pile of food inside the door. Clearly, they weren’t planning on starving him then, not that he had much of an appetite at the moment. His memories and thoughts were clearer than they had been, but the dizziness and headaches persisted, not helped by the fact that the lights in the room had been on continuously since Yukari’s visit and he’d yet to find a way to turn them off.

   Blinking he glanced up towards the light, wincing as it sent a fresh spark of pain through his aching head and scowling up at it. If it wasn’t for the fact that the thought of being in a small, dark room scared him more than he would ever admit aloud, he might have tried to smash the bulb…although the way his powers were at the moment… Sighing he stared at the light for a moment longer, well aware that it was just something else being used to torment him before turning his gaze back to the wall, rubbing a weary hand over his eyes. If Yukari had intended to keep him awake with the lights the older man had been foiled by his still-healing head wound, as it still took very little to send him off into an exhausted sleep. Although it felt as though no matter how much he slept at the moment, he never actually felt rested and he was fairly sure that if he could see himself in a mirror, he would have dark shadows under his eyes. It was one small mercy. There was no mirror in the room so he could pretend that he didn’t look as wretched as he probably did. Although at the same time it meant that he had no idea what kind of face he was showing Yukari, or if he looked as weak as he felt in the face of everything that had been thrown at him.

_“I’m glad to see you back to normal. It’ll make our game more interesting,” Yukari replied with a smile. Seemingly unfazed by the threat as he resumed moving towards Yata who instinctively backed up, only to curse as his knees hit the bed and he fell backwards with a cry as he jolted his head, eyes widening as the older man continued to head in his direction with an increasingly threatening expression._

_“Game?” Yata forced himself to echo, fairly sure that he really wasn’t going to like the answer, pressing back until he was huddled against the wall as the older man smirked at him. Saru had always liked games too, but even when he was at his worst Yata had never truly feared them. But this man, and the games that he might be capable of playing terrified him more than anything he’d ever faced before. “What the hell are you talking about?” Game? What part of this is a game? Is that what your King means to you? Your clan?_

_“Originally,” Yukari replied softly. Leaning in and savouring the fear that flickered over the teen’s face before he managed to replace it with a forced expression of defiance, although there was still fear flicking within the depths of the hazel eyes watching his every move. “I just wanted to fight you once more.”_

_“Give me a weapon, and I’ll fight you right now,” Yata growled, well aware that there was no way he could win in his current state, not with his vision starting to blur once more around the edges and the pain in his head rising again. Still, the thought of fighting and losing was more bearable, than sitting here with Yukari much too close for comfort. Just let me fight…_

_“You should really listen to your elders Little Crow,” Yukari scolded reaching out to grasp Yata’s face, and feeling the flinch that through the teen and the enjoying the panic that flared as the vanguard realised that he had nowhere to go. “I said originally,” he added, bopping the teen on the nose before releasing his grip, after all, there would be no point to this discussion if Yata forgot it all because of his fear. Still, it was hard to resist teasing him more as he watched the vanguard huddling in on himself, and the fact that Yata had to swallow several times before getting his voice to work once more._

_“So?”_

_“Back at the Tower I realised that you were far more of an interesting toy than the others,” Yukari replied with a smirk, his gaze deliberately shifting to where he knew the scar from the wound he’d inflicted on the teen lay, and Yata shifted in an attempt to shield it from his gaze. Unable to stop his breathing from speeding up as the memory of their fight pressed in on him, bringing up the older fears that had been haunting him since the tower, and he had to blink furiously as he felt his eyes trying to well up, refusing to give the older man the satisfaction of seeing his tears. “Kuroh-chan is fun to play with, but you were the one that had all three clans gathering around you. At the start, I intended to continue our fight, and use you as nothing more than a distraction. But…”_

_“But…”_

_“I can’t forget my duty to my King,” Yukari replied with a mock sigh before his eyes hardened as he focused intently on Yata and the vanguard felt paralysed by the force of the stare. The man was terrifying when playing, but this sudden flash of seriousness scared him even more, and it was only sheer willpower that stopped him from curling even further in on himself. “So you’re going to help us.”_

_“What?!” Yata demanded incredulously, briefly forgetting his fear in the face of such a ridiculous statement. There was no way he would ever have helped JUNGLE; let alone after everything they’d done to him. He clenched his fists at his side, there’s no way that’s happening… “I…”_

“You wanted to know what had happened to your powers?” Yukari cut across him sharply, and Yata fell silent staring at him in expectation, his gaze flickering briefly to his hands every few seconds. It was during one of those brief moments of distraction that the older man closed this distance between them, gripping Yata’s chin hard and yanking his head up so that their gazes met from at an uncomfortably short distance and he couldn’t hold back a slight whimper. “Answer me.”

“Y-yes,” Yata whispered weakly, there was something irrevocable about the command that compelled him to obey, his earlier defiance fading slightly even as he tried to cling to it, knowing that it was the only thing allowing him to hold back his fear. Yukari stared at him for a moment, before nodding in satisfaction, the serious expression melting away as though it had never been there and leaving him smirking at the teen as he released his chin. Nervously Yata rubbed at it, fairly sure that he was going to have fresh bruises there the next day, but too afraid to say anything for the time being.

“Nagare-chan made you a temporary clansman,” Yukari explained, and Yata blinked up at him, vaguely remembering hearing the Ice Lady talking to Kusanagi about how the Silver King had done the same to her back on the island. He couldn’t remember if she’d mentioned it interfering with her powers though. Although Weismann hadn’t been trying to control her, only attempting to get her to hear him and out and help him, whereas the Greens… “After all we needed a way to block that pesky power that Anna Kushina has.”

 _Yata wanted to growl at the older man, to tell him not to say her name, but he couldn’t force the words past his lips. Instead, he had to settle for silently vowing that there was no way that he would let this man get near Anna. Even though he had no idea how he was going to achieve that, and even though he was fully aware that now she had grown into her powers she was more than able to protect herself. But I want to protect her…It was an idiotic thought. He hadn’t even been able to protect himself. But they didn’t protect you either…._ _Angrily shoving that thought away, he refocused on Yukari with narrowed eyes as it occurred to him that there had been too much emphasis on the ‘temporary clansman’, and there was an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he forced his voice to work._

_“Even if you’ve made me a temporary clansman, there’s no way I’ll ever help JUNGLE,” He pointed out grimly, fairly sure that the older man must already know this. It was clear that he must’ve done some research about him in order to send the ‘gifts’, so surely he knew that there was no way Yata could ever work for a clan other than HOMRA? There had to be something more to it, he just wasn’t entirely sure that he wanted to know the answer. “So what are you really playing at?”_

_“Like I said,” Yukari replied with a hint of annoyance that had Yata retreating slightly once more, something that didn’t go unnoticed. “You’re going to help us.”_

_“I won’t…”_

_“I’m not offering you a choice,” Yukari pointed out calmly, and Yata shivered at the threat those simple words contained, but before he could even try to find the words to argue against the older continued, each new word adding to his fear. “I don’t expect you to agree easily. In fact, I would be disappointed if you did. But I promise you that in time you are going to become a fully-fledged member of JUNGLE.”_

_“That’s never going to happen…” Yata growled, unable to stay silent any longer, although he realised that he didn’t sound as certain as he wanted to. But there was no way…Mikoto’s face flashed through his mind, followed by Anna’s and this time he met Yukari’s gaze without hesitation, although it didn’t stop his voice from cracking in the middle. “I’m not a traitor, and I’ll never be a traitor.” You would have said the same about Saru once, a small, malicious voice whispered at the back of his mind. Everyone has a breaking point, how do you know that he won’t find yours?_

_“We’ll see Little Crow,” Yukari didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest by the vanguard’s defiance, in fact, the opposite was true as there was a satisfied smirk playing around his lips as he leant back, chuckling as Yata scowled at the use of the hated nickname. Bring on being called Misaki after this, he doubted that he’d ever be able to summon up the same level of hate for his given name as he once had, even with the way that Fushimi drawled it during their fights. “Still, I hope you don’t break too quickly.”_

_“I won’t break,” Yata replied with all the determination he could muster, even though he felt as though a gentle breeze could blow both him and his words away without any difficulty. What he hadn’t expected was for the swordsman’s smirk to darken in response, and his eyes had widened in terror as with one swift movement Yukari had swooped forward and wrenched down his top, cold fingers brushing against his HOMRA mark and he couldn’t stop himself from crying out in alarm. “Don’t touch it!” It was bad enough knowing that he had some of the Greens’ power running through him at the moment, the thought of that last symbol of his red being sullied sent panic racing through him._

_“Don’t worry,” Yukari cooed, seemingly content with the response he’d received because he removed his hand without any further teasing, although he carefully allowed his gaze to linger on it as he added quietly. “When the time comes for this to go,  you’ll be the one to do it.”_

   Yata shivered as he jerked back to the present, finding that his hand had crept up to curl protectively over his HOMRA tattoo while he’d been lost in his memories. He couldn’t imagine losing it now, and he shuddered as the memory of how Saru had burned his mark away in front of him mingled with the memories of Yukari’s words. _There’s no way I’ll ever remove it…_ Perhaps it was a stupid thing to think, but he was determined that he would rather die before removing his mark willingly or unwillingly and he could almost imagine Kusanagi and the others scolding him. But the mark was more than just a tattoo. It was something that reassured him that he had a home and family to go back to. The family that was probably out looking for him right this moment. His fingers tightened against the mark, and his eyes narrowed with determination.

“I won’t let him win,” He vowed aloud to the room, not sure if Yukari was able to hear and uncaring. His words weren’t for the Green, but for his own King and clan and there was a fire in his eyes as he added softly.“I promise.”

_I won’t be a traitor…_

**

   Yukari smirked to himself as he watched the footage he was receiving from the room, relieved albeit a little surprised that the teen didn’t seem to have found the camera yet. It had been harder than he’d anticipated staying away from the teen, especially after the way he’d responded to what they had planned for him. Still, it had been entertaining to watch the vanguard’s behaviour over the last few days, although it was clear that his injuries were still affecting him. However, the defiant expression that Yata was wearing at the moment was the one he wanted to see more than anything. While time was still a constraint, as they couldn’t wait forever to act against the other clans, not least because Nagare himself was too impatient to wait for long. He didn’t want this game to come to an end too quickly, and the caution that the teen had been showing over the last few days had left him a little worried.

_That’s right Little Crow. Tell yourself that you can win this so I can rip it all away._

****

   Fushimi had always prided himself on the control he had over his emotions, even when it had set him at odds with the rest of HOMRA, and Misaki. However, he could feel that control slipping further and further through his fingers after his brief meltdown after they’d received the graphic from JUNGLE. It had been a struggle to pull himself together enough the next morning to report to Awashima and Munakata, not helped in the slightest by the fact that his King’s focus had clearly been on the return of the Silver King and the potential threat to the slates, rather than everything else that had been going on. The rational part of him understood, after all, Misaki was not a member of their clan, and before all this, he had fought against them. But that hadn’t stopped him from wanting some acknowledgement that the older man realised what was going on, or that he cared about the fate of the missing vanguard.

   It hadn’t got any easier since then. Three days had passed since they’d received that graphic, making it a week since Misaki had been taken and they were still no closer to finding him. With the exception of his fight at the island, they hadn’t had a single encounter with JUNGLE since then, and the lack of action was only adding to his dread. He could tell that it was starting to get to HOMRA as well, there was rarely anyone at the pub nowadays besides Anna and Kusanagi, and he could tell that they were beginning to flag. The sight of Anna’s dulled eyes continually scanning the map, her marbles refusing to find the missing vanguard bothered him more than he wanted to admit. More than once he’d tried to reassure her, as she had done for him days before. Telling himself that he was only doing it because Misaki wasn’t there, and because the vanguard would kill him for leaving her upset…but he was terrible at comforting anyone apart from Misaki, and it was hard to be encouraging when worst-case scenarios were taking root in his mind.

   That was why he had completely abandoned the computers for the day, needing a break from the ruined pub and Anna’s worried eyes. Needing to feel that he was doing something, although as he moved through HOMRA’s territory, he doubted very much that he was going to find anything after all the others had combed these streets and alleyways multiple times over the last few days. _Misaki where the hell are you?_ It didn’t help that he knew that the old Misaki, the one from before the incident at the Tower would probably have been fine, or at least able to handle Yukari with more confidence. But the Misaki that had been taken..? Fushimi’s eyes narrowed, and he gripped the hilt of his weapon tightly, unable to shake the image of the fear that had been almost constantly present in the older teen’s eyes for the past few weeks.

   The familiar sound of wheels on pavement and metal drew him out of his thoughts, and he whirled around, unable to quell the hope that noise had roused and there was a painful lurch in his gut as he realised that his feet had guided him down to the skate-park that Misaki had first learnt to skate on. How many afternoons had he wasted here, just watching the smaller teen as he graduated from barely managing to skate in a straight line, to the smooth movements that had characterised their fights after the split? He felt his vision blur suspiciously as his gaze drifted across to where a young blonde boy was attempting to balance his board on a narrow rail cheered on by a group of friends. _Misaki…_

_“Saru look at this!” Misaki shouted, just as annoyingly loud as always, flipping himself up and along a railing on the skateboard, tentatively balanced although it was clear that he had improved hugely in the space of a few months. There had been a time right at the beginning where he’d had to spend most of his time bandaging the older teen up, not that it seemed to have fazed Misaki in the slightest. Even his frequent threats to make him deal with it all on his own hadn’t worked, not that he would ever have been able to ignore the sight of an injured Misaki. “I bet you couldn’t do this,” Misaki taunted with a small grin as he landed beside Fushimi._

_“Probably…” Fushimi muttered under his breath, trying to reign in the desire to snatch the blasted board away from the smaller teen as he realised that he was already eyeing up one of the larger jumps, and he could practically see Misaki goading himself into trying it._

_“Why don’t you try it?” Misaki asked hopefully, shifting his focus away from the jump and back to the dark-haired teen, who scowled at the pleading look that had appeared in the hazel eyes. “You can borrow my board!” Fushimi knew that he should be flattered as Misaki had been ridiculously protective of the skateboard from the moment he’d got it, and for a moment he hesitated, wanting to give into that pleading look and replace it with the stupidly happy grin that he knew would appear if he agreed. Instead, he clicked his tongue in annoyance and glanced off to the side._

_“No thanks…”_

   He’d always turned the other teen down, not that it ever seemed to discourage him from asking, somehow feeling that he would be intruding if ever accepted. And at one-point, skateboarding had become yet another thing that was taking the vanguard away from him, and yet now he felt as though he would give anything to go back to those, to be able to turn around and say yes. Swiping angrily at his eyes he turned away as he realised that he was getting some suspicious looks from the playing children. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from glancing back. This was Misaki should be, not hidden somewhere in the city in the hands of those who wanted to hurt him and yet he couldn’t bring himself to even utter a silent promise that he would make sure the vanguard got the chance to come back here. _We’ve already broken so many promises…_ The only thing that can help now is actually finding him and bringing him home.

   There was a bitter taste in his mouth as the thoughts of their failures. His own failure pressing in once more, having been briefly driven back by memories of happier times.

“I will find you, so don’t you dare do something stupid,” he muttered under his breath as he stalked away down the road, ignoring the odd looks he was receiving. _Don’t you dare give up before we find you_. In the past the very thought of Misaki admitting defeat would have been laughable, in fact, he had often doubted that the older teen even knew what it meant. However, everything had changed, and he couldn’t get the images from the graphic they had been sent out of his mind, even if Anna had managed to banish his fear for a short period of time. The image of Misaki’s red being overcome by the green haunting his thoughts, and he vaguely wondered when he had come to accept the fact that the vanguard was a red and that he would never be anything else.

_When did I stop hating that red?_

****

  Kamamoto sighed as he stared down at the dried bloodstain that marked the spot where Yata had been taken, his expression shadowed as his hands clenched at the sides. No matter what the others said to him, what Anna said to him, he knew that he was the one to blame for this. After all, he was the one that was supposed to have been protecting the vanguard and getting him to safety, and instead, he had become a burden. Someone that needed protecting. There was a painful twinge in his leg as he shifted uneasily and he glared down at it, well aware that he was making it worse by forcing himself to move around as much as he was, but there was no way he could sit back and leave the search to the others. Although so far his efforts had been fruitless, and more than once he’d found himself drifting back to this spot…not that he needed the reminder of what had happened, as his best friend was never far from his thoughts at the moment. _Yata…_

 _Just be careful!_ The last words he’d said to the vanguard echoed in his mind, and he closed his eyes as he tried to block them out. He didn’t want that to be the last thing he ever said to Yata, especially as even then he’d known that it was a foolish thing to say. In the past, it might have been necessary to caution the vanguard, but the Yata that had headed off that day was a far cry from the cocksure teen he had been. _I should have told him that I’d see him soon and that everything was going to be okay._ Although that would have been another lie, he realised with a pang, well aware that he wasn’t the only one being haunted by the fact that Yata was out there somewhere with their broken promises ringing in his ears. More than anything Kamamoto wanted to bring him home and prove to him that they were capable of keeping their word.

“Yata …”

_Please don’t lose faith in us…_

****

   Anna was quiet as she stepped into what had been Mikoto’s room, eyes prickling with tears as they landed on the pile of Misaki’s clothes on the end of the bed. The vanguard hadn’t had much of a chance to add much of his presence to the room, although she doubted that he would have even if he’d had more time, well aware that he still missed their former King despite his devotion to her. Still, even that simple pile of clothes was a reminder that Misaki should have been here, and this time she couldn’t stop the tears that trickled down her cheeks as she made her way across to them, settling onto the end of the bed and pulling the top sweater against her chest.

_Misaki…_

   Fushimi had refused to relinquish Misaki’s headphones or PDA not that she could blame him, and they’d pinned the crow’s beanie onto the wall beside the photos, needing the reminder even as they prayed that it wouldn’t become a memorial. Her hands tightened around the sweater, needing something to cling to _. Misaki…_ She didn’t dare lose control around the others, although she knew that Fushimi and Kusanagi weren’t fooled in the slightest by her mask. In fact, she doubted that any of them were buying her act at this point, but she couldn’t let it fall. She had to be strong for her clan even if it was nothing more than a fake face. It was the only thing she could offer them at the moment, and even if they could see through it, she knew that they needed that light just as much as she did.

   Burying her face against Misaki’s sweater, she allowed the tears to fall freely for once, trusting that Kusanagi wouldn’t disturb her for a while, and needing to let it out before it exploded out of her in front of everyone. It was all too much. Their home was in tatters, and she knew that Izumo was hurting far more over that loss that he was letting on, and Misaki was goodness knows where… She hastily pulled her thoughts away from that topic, the what if scenarios that had played through her mind had only grown worse since they’d received the graphic and she knew that she would shatter completely if she focused on them too much. What made it worse was that everything else around them was falling to pieces as well. They hadn’t heard from the Silvers since their King had returned, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before she would need to deal with that, and then there was the situation with the Slates and Reisi…

_I can’t do this. I can’t protect them and deal with all of this. I can’t…_

*

   She wasn’t sure how long she’d remained like that, sobbing out her fear and stress, although she knew that it was going to do little to ease the rising pressure in her chest. But eventually she felt her sobs easing, and slowly she lifted her head from its hiding place, grimacing at the feel of tears on her cheeks before she raised a hand to scrub the worst of them away _. It doesn’t matter if I don’t think I can do it. I have no choice but to try, after all, I’m their King_ …It was the same thing she’d told herself multiple times over the last few days, and it allowed her to drag her shaky mask back into place before slowly she stretched her hand out, willing her red to life. It was something that she had taken to doing since the day that Misaki had been taken, needing the visible reminder of what she was. What she was capable of, to give herself the strength to move forward, although the sight had grown less reassuring the longer they went without any sign of the vanguard.

“Mikoto, how do I protect them? How do I protect Misaki?” She asked in a trembling voice as she glanced down at the flames surrounding her hands, at the red that was supposed to have given her the power to protect everyone _. Misaki_ …She still adamantly refused to even consider the possibility that he would ever turn his back on HOMRA or her, but that belief wasn’t enough to erase her fear. Even if he clung to his red, there was so much that Yukari and JUNGLE could do to him, and each day that passed only exacerbated her fear. They were taking too long to find him, and she once again cursed the fact that her marbles were unable to locate Misaki. Without her power they were helpless to do anything more than they already were, at least until JUNGLE reared its head once more, the thought of being so reliant on the Greens making her flames flicker higher.

_Why can’t I find him?_

**

   Kusanagi sighed as he glanced up at the stairs, well aware of why Anna had asked to be on her own for a while as he had seen the cracks in the brave mask she was putting on for their sakes growing by the day. It was something that he was powerless to protect her against, especially when he was in no better state himself. He hesitated for a moment before forcing himself to turn away, well aware that she wouldn’t want to see his worry even if she knew that he was worried about her. Of course, the sight that met his eyes as he looked over the rest of the bar wasn’t any better, and in frustration he slammed his fist down on the battered remains of his beloved bar, eyes darkening as it creaked ominously under the force of his impact.

_What am I doing?_

   He still hadn’t fully allowed himself to acknowledge the damage that had been done to his bar… to his home,  knowing that if he did, then he wouldn’t be able to focus on the current situation. Misaki was more important than this building, and yet that knowledge didn’t ease the dull ache in his chest as he looked around at all the damage, clutching the edge of the bar as he tried to steady himself. He knew that with time they would be able to rebuild the bar, but it wouldn’t be the same. This was the bar he’d built up on his own, the bar where Mikoto had lived…where Totsuka had lived…where the old Misaki had laughed and caused havoc with the rest of HOMRA. That bar was lost, and he couldn’t help but wonder how much more they might lose to this war before it was over.

   Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to release his hold on the bar, knowing that if he allowed himself to think like that for too long, it would seep through when he was around the others, and he couldn’t afford to let that happen. Anna was doing her best to hold herself and the clan together, but she couldn’t do it alone, and the fact was that in the past it had been Misaki that had managed to rally them when their spirits were flagging. Without him... Kusanagi’s gaze was drawn to the pictures on the wall, no matter where you looked the vanguard was always in the centre of what was going on, and even those who weren’t as close to him as Anna and Kamamoto gravitated towards him and his fire. _Yata, we need you home_. Straightening he forced his gaze away from the photos, afraid of getting sucked into memories that were best left aside for the moment and he turned towards the corner where Fushimi’s computer and their research was set up. There wasn’t much he could do, but he could at least continue sifting through what little information they did have.

   He’d barely made it halfway across the room when his phone chimed, and he immediately snatched it out of his pocket, well aware that he shouldn’t be getting his hopes up but unable to suppress the hope that someone had found something. _There has to be some clue as to where he is, there has to be…_ His fingers were unusually clumsy as he fumbled with the device, and his heart fell as he opened his messages to find that it had come from Seri, well aware that meant it was highly unlikely that it would be about Yata and for a moment he was tempted to ignore it. Still, he knew that they couldn’t afford to antagonise the other clans at the moment, especially after Anna already pulled out of the unofficial alliance. Not that JUNGLE had been up to much lately. With a defeated sigh he opened the message, although as the words sank in, he wished that he’d gone with his earlier instinct.

**_The Silver King has requested a meeting between himself, SCEPTER 4 and HOMRA._ **

****

_He caught movement out of the periphery of his eye, and he cursed himself for getting distracted, whirling to face the attack even though he already knew that it was too late…_

_“YATA!”_

_“MISAKI!”_

_Yata was barely aware of the panicked shouts of his name, his entire world had narrowed down to the slender blade protruding from his chest, his eyes wide as he reached up towards it with suddenly trembling fingers, his staff falling with a clatter to the ground beside him. Before he could lay a finger on the blade though it was pulled out with a cruel twist to the side. And a strangled noise was torn from his lips as fresh fire rushed through his chest, and he was vaguely aware of the warm dampness soaking the front of his top, and he blinked heavily as his gaze slowly shifted downwards._

_“Oh,” he murmured as he took in the spreading crimson stain with stunned eyes, his fingers trembling as he brushed them against the wound before pulling them away and staring at the blood now coating them with an odd sense of detachment. Dazedly he lifted his head to stare at Yukari, his gaze drawn to the blood-stained weapon the man was holding…his blood…he realised before forcing himself to meet the triumphant brown eyes that were drinking in his every movement and reaction. “Y..you…” He tried to force the words out, not wanting to admit his defeat and wanting to reassure the others that it wasn’t as bad as it looked, but some of the shock was beginning to fade, and his entire body felt like it was on fire and he had to bite his lip to stop himself from crying out._

_The world around him faded in and out of focus for a second as he struggled to ride out the pain, a small part of him acknowledging just how bad this was. His gaze drifted back to the crimson staining his front, his vision blurring even more and he was vaguely aware of his knees giving way beneath him, the jolt startling another cry from his lips and he could taste copper on his lips this time. Weakly he grasped the ground in an attempt to hold himself up as the world finally settled back into focus, although everything felt distant and dimmed and he wanted nothing more than to curl up and escape the pain for a while at least._

_There was the sound of fluttering wings, and Yata watched sluggishly as the parrot from before fluttered down towards them, the green light flaring in its eyes telling him that the Green King was still there and he tensed. If Nagare ordered his clansman to go after Anna now, there was no way that he was going to be able to protect her, nausea and shame welling at that realisation and he couldn’t bring himself to even glance across at her._

_I’m sorry Anna…_

   Yata jerked awake with a terrified cry, hands instinctively rising to his chest and it took him several minutes to realise that there was no pain or blood as he pressed against the point where the blade had entered him. _A dream? A memory_ …Slowly he forced himself to lower his hands, distantly noting just how badly they were shaking and he was unsurprised to feel tears on his cheeks. It had seemed so real, and he cursed himself for falling asleep again. Shuddering he glanced around the room, relieved to note that nothing seemed to have changed during his unexpected nap and with a sigh he sank back against the wall, hissing as he caught his tender head although the pain was quickly forgotten as his thoughts drifted back to the dream. _Will I ever be able to forget what happened?_ It had been a while since he’d dreamed about it quite so vividly, and he had plenty of fresh material to worry about. His eyes flickered down to where his tattoo lay, currently hidden from sight beneath his top – he had more important things to worry about, so why couldn’t he forget what had happened in the Tower?

   Suddenly needing to be up and moving he climbed off the bed, gingerly resting his weight on his ankle, relieved when there was only the barest hint of an ache, and cautiously he rested more and more weight on it. The tremors began to die down as he realised that he could move more freely now. _I can fight…_ His fear towards Yukari and what the Green had planned for him was still all-consuming, but he knew that at least some of it had come from the fact that he couldn’t fight. He refused to even contemplate using his green powers in a fight, well aware that using them would only play into whatever game the older man had in mind. But his injuries had robbed him of any way to fight back, Yukari having completely ignored his challenges. _But now, now I have more than words._ He was still at a disadvantage - no red, no weapons and he knew that his head was still healing, but as long as he could move he could fight, and that meant that he could protect his red _. I won’t let you take my mark…_

_I won’t let you turn me into a traitor._


	11. Chapter 11

    Anna sighed as she glanced at the clock, it was nearly two in the afternoon which meant that the other Kings and their clansmen would be arriving soon. Neither Yashiro or Reisi had been particularly happy about holding the meeting at the HOMRA bar, but while she had reluctantly agreed to meet with them, she had been steadfast in her refusal to leave HOMRA territory. It was a faint hope, but she didn’t want to risk not being there if Misaki managed to free himself or if JUNGLE finally reached out to them, and in the end, they had agreed. Still, she knew that it was another reason not to look forward to this meeting, as there was going to be tension from the start, and a large part of her wished that she could just call it off,. After all, it wasn’t something that would help Misaki, and it was difficult to focus on anything else at the moment.

   She was just contemplating heading downstairs to wait for their guests, in the hopes of stopping her thoughts straying to grimmer topics, when there was a gentle knock and the sound of the door opening behind her.

“Anna?” Kusanagi’s voice was soft as he stepped into the room, well aware of how little she wanted to have this meeting, and if he was honest, he was more than a little dismayed himself. They still had no hints as to where their missing vanguard was being kept, and they were going to lose valuable time on what could potentially be an incredibly unproductive meeting, and worse it was keeping both of them, and Fushimi from the search. However, he carefully kept his own reluctance and displeasure out of his expression and voice as she turned to look at him, adding quietly. “They’ve started to arrive.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Anna replied with a sigh as she rose to her feet, brushing down her dress and taking a deep breath. It had been a while since she’d interacted with the other Kings, and there was a lingering ache at the thought of facing Reisi again.

“Anna…”

“Izumo?” She glanced up at him as she reached him, noting the concern in his eyes as he met her gaze and tilting her head in question, puzzled by the unusual hesitation he was displaying. Even when Mikoto had been their King, he had never really hesitated about sharing his thoughts on what was happening, and the idea of him faltering now worried her. Her breakdown the other day had reminded her just how much she needed him, needed her clan…needed Misaki…and she reached out to grasp his hand as she watched him trying to work out what he wanted to say.

“I…Don’t let them push you into agreeing to something you don’t want to do,” Kusanagi finally managed to say, the warning coming out more rushed than he’d intended as he glanced down at the hand she had wrapped around his. He was well aware of her strengths and independence, but at the same time, he knew that she wasn’t necessarily at her best right now and he didn’t want to the others to take advantage of that. Anna blinked up at him for a moment, looking slightly stunned at his words before her lips curled up in a small smile and she nodded, before promising softly.

“I won’t…”

_I have Misaki to keep me focused…_

*

   Downstairs they found that both Yashiro and Munakata had arrived, a somewhat tense atmosphere already settling over the pub as they stared at one another and Anna had to fight the urge to ask them to leave, unwilling to deal with unhelpful tensions at the moment. However, her expression softened slightly as she glanced across to where Fushimi was stood behind his King, well aware that he shared her annoyance over the meeting and for a moment they looked quietly at one another. Offering him a weak smile she glanced briefly at Awashima and Reisi, before shifting her focus to the Silvers, her gaze lingering in Shiro for a moment before moving to his clansmen, and a pang went through her as she realised that she was the only one with a single clansman in attendance. But she hadn’t been able to bear the thought of asking someone else, feeling that doing so would be akin to replacing Yata’s position as the third in command, and her expression darkened at that thought. _Misaki cannot be replaced…_

“Please take a seat,” Kusanagi’s voice rang out, startling her out of her thoughts and when she glanced across at him, he was watching her with a knowing expression, and she shot him a grateful look before heading for her own seat. “We should get this started.”

“Thank you for agreeing to my request,” Shiro said softly as he settled into his seat, amber eyes briefly travelling over the pub and noting the damage that had been caused, his brow tightening at the evidence of what he had missed while in hiding. However, he swiftly cleared it before turning to look at his fellow Kings. “I understand that you have a lot going on right now.” His gaze lingered briefly on Munakata, aware that he was probably going to be the hardest to convince, before turning sympathetic eyes towards Anna, still somewhat surprised that she had been chosen to succeed Mikoto.

   Anna hesitated for a moment before inclining her head in acceptance of his words. While she wasn’t happy about taking time away from the search to deal with this meeting, she knew that it had to happen, and in all honesty, she harboured no ill will towards the Silver King, despite his involvement in Mikoto’s death, and she offered him a brief smile before speaking.

“It is necessary, besides I want to repay your clansmen for their help,” She explained softly, noting the frown that flickered across Kuroh’s face at her words, well aware that he blamed himself somewhat for what had happened to Misaki back at the tower, and her expression softened as she met his gaze. “You came for me back then even though you didn’t have to, and both you and Neko have been helping us deal with JUNGLE. There is a lot to be repaid.” _But after Misaki is home..._

“But…”

“You were in no state to fight back then,” Kusanagi pointed out quietly, realising that Anna wasn’t really up for a debate as he caught the new tension in her posture, and he laid a supportive hand on her shoulder as he added softly. “It was Yata’s decision to fight…” Kuroh’s expression darkened for a moment before he let out a sigh and a nod, glancing back at Anna and apparently reaching the conclusion that it was best to leave the topic alone for now, although it was clear that it was something they would need to deal with in the future.

“I believe that there are more important matters to be dealt with,” Munakata finally spoke up, a hint of irritation colouring his voice, although his expression was calm as he met Anna’s gaze for a moment before turning to look at Shiro. “What is the purpose of this meeting?”

“To discuss JUNGLE and what we are going to do about them,” Anna cut in sharply, not willing to let them get caught up in unnecessary discussions, although her tone was more hesitant as she glanced across at Shiro who was looking uncertainly between the pair of them. “I’m sure Kuroh and Neko have filled you in on what has happened so far?” The irritation that she’d felt the other day when she’d realised that he’d finally resurfaced rose again and she struggled to reign it in, ignoring the knowing stares she could feel from Kusanagi and Fushimi. Well aware that now was not the time to discuss such things.

“They have, and I am sorry to hear what has happened to your clansman,” Shiro replied softly, and it was only the genuine sympathy in his voice that helped Anna to hold her tongue, after all, what use were apologies at the time? “However, there is another matter that we must discuss,” he hesitated for a moment, and Anna frowned as she caught the pain that flashed through his eyes as he glanced down for a minute before rallying, lifting his head to look at all of them as he added solemnly. “The Second King, Daikaku Kokujōji, the Gold King has passed away.”

    Despite her reluctance to talk about anything other than JUNGLE and Misaki at the moment, Anna couldn’t ignore the seriousness of that news or the grief in his voice. And a quick glance across at Reisi showed a similar realisation in the blue eyes that met hers briefly, and she closed her eyes for a moment as she lowered her head in acknowledgement of the loss. Her thoughts turning back to the events at the Tower when she had first come into her powers. That had been the first they’d known about the Gold King’s absence, but she doubted that any of them had anticipated this, although now she could see the logic behind the timing of JUNGLE’s movements. They had waited until the main threat was out of the way.

“Is that why JUNGLE have suddenly become so active?” Awashima’s voice rang out, echoing her thoughts and Anna opened her eyes to glance at the Blue, seeing the alarm in the older woman’s expression as understanding dawned. “Before the incident at the Tower we’ve not been able to find much information relating to the Green clan, and yet since that time they have acted in a way that indicates they’ve been planning this for a while.” Anna nodded in agreement with that assessment even as she frowned, even their informants that had been operating in their territory since before Mikoto’s time seemed to have little or no information on the Green clan, and even their recent actions had left very little in the way of trails that they could follow. _They were prepared, and we weren't, and we don’t have the time to play catch up…_

“With the lieutenant…I mean the Gold King gone, the Green King has nothing to fear, and there’s no reason for him to suppress his ambitions or powers anymore.” Shiro replied with a sigh, nodding in agreement as he glanced at Awashima, and there was a hint of something deeper as he spoke of Nagare, and Anna’s eyes narrowed as she caught it. However, she couldn’t help but focus on another part of what he’d said, and her aura flared for a second before she could reign it in, and she studiously avoided everyone’s gazes as they caught the brief spike in her power. They have plenty to fear, she thought darkly as her hands clenched under the table. At the tower, she had been unprepared for a fight, and until they had taken Misaki she had been willing to look for a more peaceful solution, but now-now that they had actually taken her vanguard, she had every intention of showing them the power of the Red King.

“But we heard that they were looking for you too,” Kusanagi spoke up, at last, not just searching for information but also hoping to distract them from Anna’s brief outburst, well aware of where her thoughts had gone. He could see the way that Munakata was studying her as well, and his eyes narrowed, keen to avoid causing more conflict, and he hastily focused on Shiro who was studying the interactions between the others with fresh concern. “Don’t they fear you too?” To be honest, he had to admit that he was intrigued to know just how powerful the Silver King was. After all,, their previous interactions had been brief, to say the least, and hadn’t been under the best circumstances for getting to know each other, besides, it would be useful to know if he was an ally that could truly help them deal with JUNGLE.

“I don’t pose a direct threat to them like the Gold King did,” Shiro replied after a moment, and there was something akin to shame in that confession before his expression darkened slightly as he continued tersely. “However, I possess knowledge about the slates that they’re after. And my power is eternal, which is the opposite of their power to manipulate.” Kusanagi caught the way that Munakata had sat up slightly at that information, and he didn’t miss the worry that flickered across Seri and Fushimi’s faces as they glanced at their King. Aware that the Blue King had been spending more time than necessary focusing on the Slates rather than on the conflict between their clans and JUNGLE.

_Looks like the Greens might not be the only ones who want that information…_

“Are you saying they couldn’t anticipate your move because you are a wild card?” He settled on asking, deciding that it wasn’t worth debating the Blue King’s obsession with the slates at this point, his eyes darkening at the thought that JUNGLE now potentially had their own wild card. After all, they still had a minimal idea of the purpose behind Misaki’s kidnapping, although the graphic had implied that they were going to turn Yata. It was nearly impossible to imagine the vanguard ever changing sides, and Kusanagi couldn’t stop his gaze from slipping briefly to Fushimi at that thought. Back, in the beginning, they would’ve said the same about the former-red, and he struggled to keep his expression even at the mere idea of having to go up against Yata, and with a hint of desperation, he found himself repeating Anna’s words from when she’d viewed the graphic. _Misaki will never lose his red as easily as that, no matter what they try and do to him._

“Yes,” Shiro nodded grimly, hesitating for a moment as he glanced at his own clansmen before continuing. “The Gold King knew this, which is why he kept me hidden as long as he could, but…” For a moment he trailed off, and it was clear from the faraway look in amber eyes that he was lost in his memories, and it took a gentle nudge from Kuroh to drag him back to the present, and there was a hardness to his expression as he continued a moment later. “Now they’ve pulled me back here, the Green clan won’t hold back anymore. And they’ll be calculating how the wild card will be used as they continue to challenge us.”

“So the remaining three Kings must work together to control the Green clan,” Anna spoke up in a flat tone, sharing a brief look with Kusanagi. Having caught the emotions that had passed over his face a few minutes ago and knowing what he was thinking, after all, they had spent several hours discussing what that graphic could have meant after Fushimi had left to go home. _Misaki_ …It was hard to stop her aura from flaring again, and she had to take a moment to gather herself before asking in a strained voice. “Is that what you are proposing?”

“Yes,” Shiro nodded emphatically, and Anna winced as she caught the hopeful expression on his face as he glanced between her and Reisi. Well aware that even just a couple of weeks ago she would have been the first to agree to this alliance, especially when they had already had an unofficial one in operation, now though...

 _Finding Misaki is more important than anything_ …

“Especially now that the most powerful Gold King is no longer with us,” Munakata said grimly, although there was an odd note as he mentioned the Gold King and Anna glanced across at him, eyes narrowing as she caught the strain in his face. _Reisi_ …It had been easy to forget her concern for the older man in light of recent events, but it was harder to ignore when he was right there in front of her, and she could see the hint of worry in Fushimi’s expression as he glanced at his King under cover of scowling at the older man.

"What do you say?” Shiro asked.

“I have no objection,” Munakata stated after a brief pause, readjusting his glasses before glancing at Awashima and Fushimi before adding with more than a hint of pride. “The Blue clan Scepter 4’s mission is to maintain order.” _Then why weren’t you there when we needed you?_ Anna felt a brief surge of bitterness, remembering how long it had taken SCEPTER 4 to arrive on the scene the day Misaki had been taken, but she didn’t allow the words to escape, realising that it was unfair to lay the blame on their feet. Instead, she distracted herself with the brief flash of panic that passed through Fushimi’s eyes. Knowing that he was worried about what he would be required to do for his clan when at the moment all he wanted to do was focus on finding Misaki, a desire that only seemed to grow stronger the more time passed without results. _Saruhiko…_

“But Captain…!” Awashima suddenly burst out, and Anna’s eyes narrowed as she realised that the older woman was looking pointedly towards them as she demanded loudly. “Are you sure about this?”

“Ms Awashima, we’ve already worn ourselves out trying to counter the Green Clan,” Munakata countered seriously, and Awashima withdrew slightly although she still didn’t look convinced, something that he must’ve noticed as he sighed before continuing. “Having powerful allies will be worth it, even if have to put up with a little friction amongst us. Besides we working with HOMRA and the Silver clansmen before this, although it wasn’t a formally established alliance.”

“Yes but…”

“There is one problem,” Kusanagi pointed out softly as he glanced down at Anna with questioning eyes, sighing when she gave a small nod, although his voice was calm and steady as he added quietly. “While we were able to assist back then, circumstances have changed.” Part of him had been hoping that she would agree to this alliance, and yet at the same time, he knew that they couldn’t afford to get bogged down in trying to capture JUNGLE. Especially as the Green clan had been relatively inactive recently and he somehow doubted that Munakata would agree to more of SCEPTER 4’s resources being used to hunt for Misaki.

“This is important…” Shiro spoke up softly, somewhat startled to be facing protest from HOMRA after Munakata had agreed a lot more swiftly than he’d been expecting, and it was clear that the Blues were startled as well. Except for Fushimi who was studying Anna with a surprisingly understanding expression on his face, even as he took a small step away from his King, as though distancing himself from the debate.

“I understand what you’re saying,” Anna cut across him, turning to meet his gaze without hesitation. “It has already been proven that none of us are able to handle the Green King and his clan on our own, and your proposal is sound...”

“Then…”

“However,” Anna said softly, lifting her hand to silence him once more even as she offered him a somewhat apologetic look, although there was no hint of apology in her next words. “At the moment neither my clan or I can agree completely to this alliance.”

“But…”

“Our focus is on finding our clansman,” Anna pointed out softly, her gaze straying to the wall of photos for a moment and lingering on Yata’s beanie, and there was fresh resolve in her expression as she turned back to Shiro who was watching her with worry. “I won’t allow anything to interfere with that. However…”

“You’re willing to risk everything for one person?” Munakata asked sharply, cutting her off and crimson eyes flashed with more than a hint of anger as she turned towards him, and Fushimi couldn’t help but wince at the expression on her face. Surely Munakata knew by now how HOMRA reacted to any threats made against their own? The entire situation with the Colourless King and the high school had come about because one of their own had died. Even Mikoto who’d often seemed somewhat distant had held HOMRA members close to his heart, and Anna was far more open about her dedication to her clan.

“HOMRA is a family,” Anna replied coldly, rising to her feet and allowing a hint of her aura to flare around herself as she stared at Munakata. While she had largely forgiven him for what had happened with Mikoto, well aware that her King had been content with the outcome of that fight, there was no way she would accept what he had just asked, and there was fire in her eyes as she glared at him. “We are a family, and JUNGLE has taken one of our own. Would you simply stand aside and leave one of your own in their hands?”

“Anna…”

   Munakata hesitated for a moment as he stared at her, hearing Mikoto in her words and there was a dull ache in his chest at the reminder of the former King. He opened his mouth, intending to state that he wouldn’t risk the safety of the slates or the country for a single person, but he couldn’t force the words out, especially after he caught the understanding expression on the Silver King’s face. Instead, he sighed and shook his head minutely, and after a moment the fire in her gaze died out, her aura dying out as she accepted the silent response and he let out a sigh of relief.

_Mikoto, it seems as though you have a formidable successor…_

“I am not refusing to join this alliance,” Anna said in a calmer voice as she settled in her seat once more, turning to look at Shiro and giving him a weak attempt at a reassuring smile. “Like I said, there is a debt I want to repay to your clansmen. However, the extent to which we will be able to help depends on how quickly we are able to find Misaki. Until then that is what we have to focus on.” Even with her determination to make JUNGLE pay, she was aware that it might not be possible on her own. However, it had to be HOMRA that rescued him, as it was there promises to keep him safe that had been broken and she was determined to make sure that he could still believe in them. _Misaki…_

“But…”

“It is her decision,” Fushimi finally spoke cutting off Munakata’s protest, and finding himself having to fight the urge to step back as Munakata and Awashima turned to look at him in surprise, but he didn’t allow himself to falter as he met his King’s gaze. He had known in advance what Anna was going to say, and he’d known that it wasn’t going to go down well, but he hadn’t planned on defending her. However, the thought of Misaki’s disappearance being brushed aside as insignificant had made him speak out before he’d even realised what he was doing.  “HOMRA has been fighting the Greens from the beginning, I think it’s their right to decide what actions to take now.”

“Saruhiko…”

“I will not allow Misaki to be forgotten…” Fushimi added softly, unable to bring himself to look at anyone at this stage, his fingers curling around his sword as he heard the sharp intakes of breath from his own clan and he held back a sigh, well aware that they would call him on his actions later.

“Understood,” Shiro said softly in the silence that followed, and they all turned to look at him. There was a compassionate expression on his face as he turned to meet Anna’s gaze before he glanced at his own clansmen before continuing in a voice barely above a whisper. “If I were in your place I would do the same.” This time Anna’s smile was more genuine as she could see the truth in his words, and from the way Neko and Kuroh glanced at their King, it was clear that the sentiment was returned with equal fervour. And she couldn’t help but glance across at Reisi who was still studying Fushimi with an odd expression on his face. _Is SCEPTER 4 really that different…?_ “We can help handle the Greens for now, if SCEPTER 4 are willing to work with us?” Shiro added, also glancing across at Munakata who nodded with slightly more reluctance than before.

“I…” Kuroh stepped forward, before trailing off with a slightly awkward expression as everyone’s attention snapped back to him.

“Kuroh?” Shiro asked with a concerned frown.

“They are not the only ones with a debt to pay,” Kuroh replied quietly, glancing at Neko for a moment before straightening and continuing in a stronger voice. “At the tower, it was Yata Misaki’s actions that saved us all, and because of that, he drew the attention of Mishakuji Yukari. If that hadn’t happened, then it is unlikely he would’ve been targeted.”

“Then what are you proposing?” Shiro asked quietly, amber eyes narrowing at the reminder of how much danger his clan had faced during his absence, and disliking the guilt he could see in the taller man’s gaze as he glanced across at Anna and Kusanagi. He wanted to ease that guilt, and yet he knew that they had to focus on the situation and there was regret in his voice as he added gently. “JUNGLE has to be our priority. Otherwise, they will get ahead of us.”

“I know…” Kuroh admitted reluctantly, well aware that was the main threat, especially if the Greens were still focused on his King. _But still…_

“Thank you,” Anna said softly, smiling up at him and Kuroh blinked in surprise before glancing aside with a hint of colour in his cheeks. Sharing a brief glance with Kusanagi, Anna turned her attention back to Shiro before adding softly. “It’s enough that you understand my position. The only other thing I would ask is that you pass on any information that might help us bring Misaki home. I want to help in this fight, but I have to protect my family first.”

_I have to protect what Mikoto left me._

*

   He’d known that it was coming, having caught the looks that he’d been receiving from both Munakata and Awashima during the meeting, especially after he’d so vehemently defended Anna’s choice to focus on finding Misaki before joining the proposed alliance. The meeting had swiftly come to an end, with no one completely satisfied although there was a general agreement between all three parties, and he knew that no matter what Anna had said if push came to shove HOMRA would move with the others against JUNGLE. However, he was relieved that she had stood her ground about Misaki, as he had been worried that the matter might be pushed aside in the face of the greater threat, well aware that his voice alone wouldn’t have been enough. Still, it was with more than a hint of reluctance that he quietly promised Anna that he would be back soon to continue with the map they’d been working on creating before the meeting had started, before trailing after his King as Munakata led the way out of the bar.

“What will you do Fushimi-kun?” Munakata asked without preamble once they were a safe distance from the bar. Turning to look at the younger man with a more serious expression than the others had seen from him in a while, and despite himself, Fushimi found himself shifting uneasily under the force of the older man’s gaze and it was left to Awashima to ask their King to expand on what he meant.

“Sir?”

“JUNGLE will continue to act against us,” Munakata pointed out calmly, staring directly at Fushimi although he spared a brief glance towards the HOMRA bar behind them, and there was an odd note to his voice as he continued softly. “Without HOMRA’s participation in this ‘alliance’, it means that our resources will be strained once more, even if Isana Yashiro and his clan work with us. Therefore, I need to know whether I can rely on my own clansmen.” _Where does your loyalty lie Fushimi?_

“I’ll do what’s necessary,” Fushimi replied grimly, well aware of what the older man was asking, eyes narrowing at the acknowledgement that even now there was some uncertainty about his allegiance. Although given that he had been spending most of his time assisting Anna and HOMRA he supposed he could understand. _But that was for Misaki, I don’t care about the rest_ …He knew that wasn’t entirely true, as he’d already had to admit that Anna’s company at least was bearable, but that didn’t mean that he had any intention of following her or returning to HOMRA. However, at the same time, he had no intention of abandoning the search for the vanguard, and there was a determined expression on his face as he raised his head to meet Munakata’s gaze without hesitation. “But I won’t abandon Misaki either.”

“Fushimi…” Awashima began hesitantly, catching the hint of threat in his words, well aware of how the recent events had been affecting him but reluctant to let him speak to their King like that. Although a quick glance at the Captain showed nothing but calm acceptance in his expression, and she wondered just how well he knew the younger man.

“I promised to keep him safe,” Fushimi cut across her, unable to bring himself to look at her or Munakata and instead glaring at the floor, his hands curling into fists at his side as his voice dropped to a low whisper. “Now the only thing I can do is make sure that he gets home, even if that home takes him away from me.” Deep down he’d always known that the truce between them could only last so long, but he had been determined to make the most of it while it lasted, for once enjoying not fighting the older teen. However, now he was willing to go back to how it had been, just so long as he knew that Misaki was home and safe. _No matter what, I will at least bring you home._

   Munakata was quiet for several moments, his gaze never wavering from the teen in front of him, well aware of how much it must have cost Fushimi to admit even that much in front of them. Even with knowing that he understood his third much better than most, it was still rare to get an honest, unguarded answer from the younger man. If he was honest with himself, he had been worried that the time being spent with the Red clan might cause Fushimi to question his choices as he had in the past, well aware that his own distance due to his responsibilities at the tower wouldn’t have helped. And it was a relief to realise that for now at least his clan would remain intact, even if it was clear that Fushimi was serious in his intention to continue focusing on the search for the missing HOMRA vanguard.

“Very well,” he said finally, lifting a hand to stop Awashima as she opened her mouth to protest, well aware that she often felt that he gave the surly teen too much leeway, both regarding duties and what he could get away with saying. However, there was a hardness in his gaze as he met Fushimi’s somewhat startled gaze, and he held the teen’s gaze as he added seriously. “I hope that when the time comes, I can count on you.” Fushimi’s eyes narrowed slightly, hearing the emphasis on the last bit and wondering what his King was planning as it was clear that while he had agreed to the alliance, there was more going on in his head, and he just hoped that it wasn’t going to cause more trouble. Still, the most important thing was that he wasn’t being forced to abandon the search for Misaki, as everything else could be dealt with as it came up, and there was respect in his tone as he replied.

“Yes, Sir.”

****

   Yata had taken to pacing backwards and forwards across his ‘prison’. He refused to refer to it as his room even though he was somewhat surprised that Yukari hadn’t decided to imprison him somewhere more ‘prison-like’. Remembering the occasions when Fushimi had actually threatened to arrest him, taunting him with the fact that he would have to ask for everything he needed, not that the Blue had ever gone through with the threat. A shudder went through Yata, and he frantically dragged his thoughts away from Saru, thinking about the other teen, or about Anna and HOMRA made his current reality all the worse. _I miss them_ … He had never been one for solitude, it was one of the reasons he couldn’t understand why Fushimi had pulled away from everyone, and this currently forced isolation was getting to him far more than he wanted to admit. To the point where he would almost welcome a visit from Yukari if only to get a break from the silence.

   His gaze landed briefly on the ruined remains of the food that he’d been provided with. While his appetite had finally begun to improve as the nausea from his injuries faded, he still hadn’t felt like eating much, hating the thought of being dependent on his captor for even that much. And now the food was spoiling, taking the choice out of his hands and he grimaced as his stomach growled slightly, realising that he had brought it on himself by thinking about food. There had been no sign of any more being provided, and he wondered if that meant Yukari was changing tactics. Not that there was anything he could do about it, and he was just relieved that he still had access to water through the basin. Still, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to last too long without food, and he wondered if the Green had changed his mind about trying to turn him, relieved that Fushimi and the others weren’t there to feel the relief in his thoughts. Knowing that they would have told him it was more important to survive for now.

_But I don’t want to be a traitor…_

   Sighing he turned away from the food, and instead shifted his attention to the ever-present light shining down on him from above. It hadn’t bothered him too much a few days ago, but now the constant light was beginning to wear on him. All sense of time had been well and truly lost. The constant light making it impossible to tell whether it was night or day, and he’d taken to just sleeping when exhaustion hit, only to find himself even more disorientated every time he woke up. As for how long he’d been here, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to know the answer to that. He was reasonably sure that it had been at least a week, but it could have been a lot longer, and that thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

    Not only was it a reminder of his own inability to free himself, but it would also mean facing the fact that he wasn’t there protecting Anna. Not that he had been able to do that for some time, and that he might not be able to do that for some time. His pacing increased in speed, fresh anxiety rising in his chest at the thought of Anna and the others being out there fighting without him. _I should be protecting her…_

   It was something else that had crept into his thoughts over the last few days, despite his best attempts to keep it at a distance. _What if she finds a new protector?_ He knew that it was a foolish thought. That there was no way HOMRA, or Anna would turn their backs on him and yet he couldn’t stop the thought from slipping into the back of his mind and growing. There was no way that the fighting would have stopped if anything it had probably intensified, and it would only make sense for someone else to have taken the vanguard position, especially as it had been so long since he’d been able to fight. _Stop thinking like that, you’re Anna’s shield. You’re HOMRA’s vanguard!_ He knew all that, and yet standing here in the strange room and with no idea where he was, or how long he’d been there it just didn’t sound anywhere as near as convincing as he’d meant it to. And he couldn’t stop himself from hunching in on himself, coming to a halt as his hand crept up to his tattoo.

_I’m still a member of HOMRA…_

   He stood like that for several minutes, desperately trying to convince himself that he didn’t have anything to worry about, wondering where the confidence he’d always had since joining HOMRA had disappeared to. However, his efforts only seemed to increase his fear, and finally, he pulled his hand away from his tattoo as he began to pace once more, quieting his frantic thoughts by counting the steps once more. It was ten steps from the far wall to the door, and five between the basin and toilet and his bed. He’d counted it numerous times, even though it reminded him of just how small his prison was, finding the simple exercise somewhat relaxing as it helped to quiet his darker thoughts.

   He’d long since accepted the fact that there was no other way in or out of the prison apart from the door, and he hadn’t even bothered searching for the past day or so. However, there was a fresh urgency humming through him today. A need to get away before those thoughts grew even more powerful, and with a hint of desperation, he began to search the walls once more, searching for anything that would give him a way out of here. It was as he was examining the wall above the basin that he spotted something that he hadn’t noticed before, and his eyes narrowed as he moved across, standing on his tiptoes to examine it. It looked like a dark, unblinking eye staring out at him from a crack in the wall and he swallowed hard as it dawned on him just what it was.

_A camera, so he is watching me…_

“Damn it,” Yata muttered under his breath as he glared up at the camera. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he’d realised that he must be getting watched somehow, but it was unnerving to find proof of that suspicion, and he felt himself paling. _He’s seen everything_... The first few days hadn’t been so bad, he’d still been recovering from his head wound, so he hadn’t been up to much, but more recently his captivity had been getting to him, and he knew that was reflected in his behaviour. _How many times had he vowed aloud that he wasn’t going to become a traitor? Or declared that he wasn’t afraid? That he wasn’t going to lose?_ Embarrassment coloured his cheeks at the thought that his captor had been able to see all that, and his hands curled into fists as he stared into the tiny lens. _Are you watching now? Are you enjoying seeing me start to fall apart? You monster…_

“FACE ME YOU, COWARD!” He shouted as he abruptly whirled around to face the door, suddenly furious as he lashed out, pounding both fists against the door, for once not paying heed to the green sparks that skittered across his skin in response to his anger. Patience had never been his strong suit, and this seemingly endless wait for something to happen and the fact that he had no way of finding out what was going on outside was getting to him, setting his teeth on edge in a way that he’d never experienced before. It was made worse by the fact that there was nothing he could do about it. He’d even attempted to use his new green powers to blast through the door, or slip through the walls as he remembered being told about, but either he wasn’t allowed that much control as a temporary clansman or the room was protected against it. His anger drained as abruptly as it had appeared as his thoughts turned to his powers, and he slumped against the door, hitting it weakly one last time as he whispered desperately. “Let me out…”

_I want to go home…_

*

“Yukari aren’t you going to do something with him?” Sukuna demanded as he leant over the back of the couch, briefly forgetting his game as he stared at the scene displayed on the older man’s tablet. Yukari had spent the last couple of days glued to the tablet, and he couldn’t understand what was so amusing about watching their prisoner if he wasn’t actually doing anything to him. Although he had to smirk at seeing the teen that had managed to escape him sitting in a defeated huddle in front of the door, not that it lessened his desire to finish the fight that Yata had fled from.

“Not just yet,” Yukari replied with a frown as he glanced at the teen, before shifting his attention back to the screen, his lips curling in a smile as he studied his Little Crow’s profile. It had been amusing seeing his defiance, but he was beginning to tire of just being able to watch, so there was some relief to see the vanguard beginning to waver although he didn’t want the game to end too quickly. “I’m waiting for a few more cracks to appear. But the game is progressing well, which is just as well as it seems the Silver King isn’t wasting any time, right Nagare-chan?” He turned to glance at his King who was studying his own screen with an almost frightening intensity, and Sukuna perked up as he followed his gaze.

“So it would seem,” Nagare confirmed, looking up and meeting their curious gazes with a small grin of his own. “I must admit; I wasn’t expecting him to make such a direct approach.”

“Does that mean we’re going to move sooner?” Sukuna asked hopefully, abandoning his game entirely at the prospect of being able to fight, bored after days without any new missions being issued.

“No,” Nagare shook his head, sharing an amused glance with Yukari as the teen let out a disappointed huff before sinking down on the couch and visibly sulking. Yukari shook his head, glancing down at the screen in his lap, before turning his attention back to Nagare as his King continued to explain his reasoning, well aware that he would probably be the one to need to remind Sukuna of why they were waiting. “I want to see what he will do, besides I want the opportunity to speak to him, and Anna Kushina before we make our move.”

“Just be careful,” Iwafune added as he meandered into the room with Kotosaka on his shoulder, nodding at Yukari in agreement before settling onto the spare chair, his eyes serious as he turned back to Nagare and there was a warning note in his usually carefree voice. “We don’t want to give them too much time to prepare.”

“It wouldn’t matter how much time we give them,” Yukari pointed out as he caught Nagare’s brief scowl, laying the tablet aside as he spread his arms dramatically. “It’s our colour that is going to transform this world. Right Nagare?”

 _And you’re going to be a part of that, Little Crow_.


	12. Chapter 12

Two days later:

“Shiro?” Kuroh asked softly as he stepped into the living room to find his King staring out of the window, a solemn expression on the usually cheerful face. Shiro didn’t turn to look at him, but it was clear that he was listening and the dark-haired swordsman took that as encouragement to continue, finally summoning the courage to ask the question that he hadn’t dared to ask after the meeting with the other clans. “Are you disappointed with the way the meeting went?” He knew that his own actions had made the situation more complicated, but he hadn’t been able to stay silent. Yata hadn’t been the only one haunted by how the battle at the Tower went, and he felt that he owed the vanguard even more now that his former mentor was hunting the crow rather than him. Still, he wished that he’d had a chance to adequately convey that to Shiro before throwing it out there at the meeting.

“Not particularly…” Shiro replied without looking at him, although some of the tension seemed to have eased out of his expression. “You’d warned me about what was happening, and I know enough about the Red Clan to have expected a reaction like that.”

“But…?” Kuroh prompted warily as he moved across to stand beside his King, relishing the feeling of their clan bond as it swelled around them, certain that he would never get tired of that sensation after all the time spent enduring without out as they searched for Shiro.

“I’m worried,” Shiro admitted quietly as he turned to glance at Kuroh, and the taller swallowed as he caught sight of the dimmed amber eyes, well aware that his King had a tendency to hide his worries and pretend like everything was okay. So, for him to abandon such attempts now was worrying. Disliking the expression, he reached out and brushed his fingers lightly over his King’s shoulders, both offering comfort and prompting him to explain, the gesture earning him a wan smile from the Silverette before he continued in a soft voice. “Nagare Hisui is not to be taken lightly, and I would have felt better if we had all three clans on board, especially given our own small numbers.”

“Numbers can only help them so much,” Kuroh pointed out calmly, not liking the hint of self-recrimination he could hear in his King’s voice even if he didn’t completely understand why it was there, and he offered the shorter man a reassuring smile as amber eyes met his. “We have something we need to protect. Something we want to protect and the same goes for HOMRA and SCEPTER-4…”

“Will that be enough though?”

“Maybe not,” Kuroh admitted honestly, this time actually taking hold of his King’s shoulder as he waited for Shiro to meet his gaze once more, relieved to see that there was a bit of their normal brightness returning. It was reassuring to know that their time apart hadn’t created an insurmountable distance between them. That he could still reach his King, and be heard by him and his fingers tightened slightly before he continued in a stronger voice. “But it means we have a chance, so don’t go losing yourself in thoughts of defeat before we’ve even fought!” He stubbornly stopped his thoughts from drifting to Yukari, well aware that before everything was through, he’d have to face the older man again regardless of his current obsession with Yata Misaki. And he still wasn’t confident in his ability to win that fight, even with the full strength of the Silver clan flowing through him.

“You’re right,” Shiro’s soft voice helped him to refocus on the present, and he blinked down at his King, feeling slightly flustered by the warm smile he was receiving, and he nearly missed the whispered words that followed. “I have something I need to protect as well.”

_Lieutenant, lend me the strength to protect everything…_

****

_“Misaki! You’re home,” Anna felt tears of relief trickling down her cheeks as she dashed towards the familiar figure in the doorway, flinging her arms around him and squeezing him tightly. He was home. He was safe, and he hadn’t broken! He hadn’t let JUNGLE destroy him. She sniffled as she tightened her hold on him, only to pause as she realised just how tense he was in her arms and that he had yet to return her hug, something that he’d always responded to. “Misaki?”_

_“Get off me!” His voice was harsher than she’d ever heard it, and she immediately obeyed, raising tearful eyes to his face only to gasp at the cold expression that met her eyes. There was none of the warmth that she usually associated with her Crow, but what really scared her was that when she peered closer, she couldn’t find any trace of their red._

_“Misaki…? What’s wrong? Where’s your red? What did they do to you?” The questions fell from her lips as she stared at him, pleading silently for a glimpse of her Misaki, but if anything his eyes seemed to harden at each question, and when he finally opened his mouth to answer, she suddenly knew that she didn’t want to hear his answer._

_“They gave me a new colour,” he replied carelessly and slowly he raised his hands, and she could only watch with horrified eyes as green sparks danced across his skin, adding an eerie light to his gaze as he refocused on her. “All I have to do is get rid of the red…” There was no hesitation in his eyes as he stepped forward, the green spreading across his body and she backed away as she realised what he meant, feeling her heart shattering even as fresh tears trickled down her cheeks._

_“Misaki, why?”_

   Anna jerked awake with a sharp cry just as the green light had been about to engulf her, Misaki’s name on her lips and tears damp on her cheeks, and she glanced around wildly half expecting the vanguard to be there looming over her.

“Anna?” She blinked in surprise as. Instead, she found a worried looking Fushimi crouched beside her, and before either of them knew what was happening she had sprung forward with a sharp cry, wrapping her arms around his neck as she buried her face in his shoulder as she began to sob. She knew that it had been a dream, but it had seemed so real, and she clutched Saru tighter as she tried to force the images out of her mind. She’d thought that she’d completely believed her own words about Misaki’s loyalty after seeing the graphic, so why had she dreamed that he’d turned his back on them…on her? A shudder went through her as the memory of his cold expression flashed through her mind, Misaki had never been able to look at anyone like that let alone her. _Misaki you’re not going to change, right_? Suddenly she wasn’t so sure, and she shivered as she pressed her face further against Fushimi. “Anna, what’s wrong?” Fushimi asked anxiously, shooting a worried look a Kusanagi who’d moved across to them the moment that Anna had woken shouting for Yata.

“Misaki…Misaki…”

“Anna,” Kusanagi said reassuringly when it became clear that she wasn’t ready to give them a clear answer, reaching out to gently rest a hand on her head as he added softly. “It was just a dream...”

“I know…” Anna whispered."But..."

“It doesn’t make it better,” Fushimi finished softly, and Anna finally pulled back enough so that she could peer up at him, stunned by the understanding expression on his face as he met her gaze and she felt his arms tighten around as he added softly. “I’ve had plenty of nightmares since they’ve taken him.” It was painfully clear that he was reluctant to admit such a thing, especially in front of Kusanagi, but she could see the truth in his dark eyes, and somehow it helped to know that she wasn’t the only one reacting like this.

“Misaki came home….” She whispered as she leant against Fushimi once more, although this time she didn’t bury her face even as she carefully avoided their gazes after hearing their sharp intakes of breath, hesitating for a moment as she wondered whether it would be better to stay silent. After all, it had only been a dream. However, Fushimi nudged her gently in a silent prompt for her to continue and sniffling she obeyed the silent command. “B-But he wasn’t our Misaki…he was so cold, and his red was completely gone.”

“What happened?” Kusanagi asked, his voice taut and when she glanced across at him, she could see the same pain that she’d seen in Fushimi’s eyes reflected in his face. _Izumo_. Silently she reached out a hand and grasped the one that was still resting on her head, wrapping her fingers around it even as she met his gaze for a second.

“H-he said that he had to get rid of the red…”

“He attacked you didn’t he?” Fushimi asked softly when he realised that she couldn’t bring herself to continue and with a small sob, she nodded silently in response. _Misaki…_ She had been so certain that something like that could never happen, and yet now she could feel doubt creeping in, and she tightened her hold on both of them. “Then you have nothing to worry about,” Fushimi’s statement drew her attention back to him, and she could find no trace of the pain that had been present only seconds before, just utter certainty as he met her gaze without hesitation.

“Saru…?”

“Misaki could never attack you,” Fushimi pointed out softly, well aware that normally she would have been able to see that for herself, but she was still too close to the memories of the dream to be able to see it. “No matter what else happens; I don’t believe anything could change that.” He just wished that he could say the same thing about everything else. There was so much that could be changed under the right sort of pressure, and his eyes narrowed at the thought that they might not get their Misaki back. _Misaki, I won’t like it if you change…_

“Fushimi’s right,” Kusanagi said softly, and he’d managed to regain his composure when Anna turned to look at him, and a weak smile appeared as she nodded in agreement. _Misaki, I’m sorry_ …she knew that they were right about that, and she closed her eyes as the memory of how he’d flung himself into the path of Yukari’s attack back in the tower to protect her. _I should never have doubted you_. Still, she hadn’t missed the emotions that had passed over Fushimi’s face, and she knew that there was still a lot that could change. A lot that could be taken from her crow. _We have to find him. We have to bring him home before our Misaki disappears…_

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you,” she whispered as she pulled back completely, only to still when Fushimi surprised her further by reaching up and brushing away her tears.

“We were worried before this,” he admitted roughly, a hint of colour entering his cheeks as he averted his gaze slightly and her smile grew at the sight of it. He had been opening up to them again ever since Misaki had been injured, but it seemed that he was putting less and less effort into his masks as time went on, and while she regretted the cause of that change she hoped that it wouldn’t disappear behind blue walls. _Saru, I hope that Misaki gets to see this side of you when he comes home_ … “Just don’t hide things like this…”

“I won’t,” she promised.

“Good…” Kusanagi said sternly, narrowing his eyes at her and she smiled reassuringly up at him, and she was about to tell him not to worry when his phone began to ring. Immediately they all tensed at the sound, and both Anna and Fushimi watched with intent gazes as the older man hastily pulled it out and glanced at the screen. “It’s Eric,” he reported before pressing the phone to his ear, his voice terse as he hit the answer button. “Kusanagi speaking…”

   They couldn’t glean anything from either his expression of brief responses, only the fact that he had begun to pace anxiously back and forth across the floor telling them just how important the call was, and Anna clutched tightly at Fushimi’s arm for reassurance.

“Hold them there, we’re on our way,” Kusanagi barked before closing the phone, and turning back to look at them, his blank mask finally disappearing to be replaced by a grim, determined look. “JUNGLE has begun to move, Eric and the others have encountered a group out near where Yata was taken.”

“Finally…” Fushimi breathed as he glanced down at Anna, seeing a similar light in her eyes as she shot to her feet with a determined expression, all traces of her previous doubts gone as she turned flashing eyes towards Kusanagi.

“Anna we can handle this,” Kusanagi pointed out, not entirely sure that this wasn’t going to be a trap. After all, why would they suddenly start attacking again after over a week of silence, and he was reluctant to do anything that would put their King in danger, especially as he knew that Yata would have their head if anything happened to her.

“No,” Anna shot that idea down straight away, and he was taken aback as she turned to look at both of them, looking far older than she was and for a second he could’ve sworn that he’d seen Mikoto standing behind her. However, when he blinked, it was just Anna that was stood there, not that she didn’t make an imposing sight as her aura flared around her, flames dancing in her eyes as she met his gaze. “I will help bring Misaki home with my own two hands. I have to bring him home.” _I will bring him home…_

“I won’t let anything happen to her,” Fushimi pointed out resolutely as he moved to stand beside her, his hand coming to rest on his own weapon. While he knew that it wasn’t his place to say that, he felt that he needed to and that it was one of the few things he could do for Misaki at the moment. Anna’s aura softened slightly as she turned her gaze towards him, her lips tilting up as she gave an approving nod.

“Thank you.”

“Fine…” Kusanagi sighed, recognising a losing battle when he saw it, not that he had ever really been able to deny her anything. Instead, he raised his eyes to meet Fushimi’s gaze for a moment, before giving the teen an approving nod when he saw the blue meant what he’d said, well aware of what had been the motivation behind his declaration. “I told them to keep them busy. This time they won’t slip away, and hopefully, we can finally get a lead on where Yata is being kept.”

“We will get a lead,” Anna corrected him fiercely as she hurried past him for the door, and deciding that it wasn’t worth pointing out that they might not have the information they needed he settled for chasing after her, Fushimi rapidly appearing at his side.

_Misaki, we’re coming…_

****

   Yata groaned slightly as his stomach grumbled hungrily yet again, wrapping his arm around his midriff in the hopes of silencing the noise, well aware that the gesture would give away his current state to the camera and his audience but unable to bring himself to care. For the first time in days he felt properly hungry, and of course, there was nothing to eat. The food by the door was completely beyond salvaging, even though he had searched for something that wouldn’t upset his stomach. In a rage he’d flung the remaining food at the door, only to regret the action when it had spilt everywhere, making the room smell and only fanning his hunger. Idly he wondered if he shouted for food if his captors would actually give him any. _They’d probably make me beg_ , he thought bitterly, not that he had any intention of even trying, well aware that he had betrayed his own weakness with the meltdown the day before and determined to not to let anything else show. _But I’m so hungry…_

   Feeling his temper beginning to rise again he rose from the bed and began to pace, noticing with a hint of concern that the room was blurring slightly around the edges. When was the last time he’d eaten? Shoving that thought aside as he felt his hunger increasing, he tried to distract himself with other thoughts, but nothing could pull his attention away from the gnawing emptiness in his stomach, and he wanted to shout in frustration. Instead, he found himself lashing out in frustration, only to yelp as his fist collided with the wall having misjudged the distance, and he stumbled backwards as he clutched it with his other hand. Eyes watering slightly, he glared down at his now bloody knuckles, torn between cursing his own stupidity and the situation, well aware that his temper was becoming more and more frayed. Not that he’d been the calmest person before all this had happened.

   Sighing he backed up to the bed and sat down with a sigh, cradling his hand in his lap as he waited for the pain to recede. He didn’t even know why he’d lashed out like that, it wasn’t as though anger was going to help him here. Yet he’d found his emotions fluctuating wildly the past couple of days, going from one extreme to the other at the drop of a hat, even though there was no change in his situation to trigger each outburst. _I’m falling apart,_ the thought whispered in the back of his head, and he bowed his head, knowing that he couldn’t deny it, even though he desperately wanted to. Life at HOMRA had not prepared him for this, and it hurt to realise that he actually resented that fact, not that they could ever have had a reason to try and prepare him for something like this

   In the past, all their fighting had been mainly out in the open, and even when there had been sneaky work going on he’d had very little to do with it. He was their frontline fighter because that was where his strengths lay, or at least where they used to lie, he corrected himself with more than a hint of bitterness.

   Realising that the pain was subsiding he turned his attention down to his hand, sighing as he studied the broken skin and the blood that had managed to trickle down his fingers. _I’m an idiot_ … Grumbling under his breath he rose to his feet once more, knowing that he needed to at least clean the wounds as there was nothing to bandage them with and he didn’t fancy letting them get worse. After all, he would need his hands to fight once someone appeared as he didn’t have a weapon. _If they appear_. He stubbornly pushed that thought aside, although he could stop himself glancing uneasily at the door. _What if they don’t come back?_ More than once he’d wondered if they were just going to keep him locked up in here until he died. Only the fact that Yukari had treated his injuries when he arrived and then given him water and food gave him hope that, that wasn’t the case.

   Clicking his tongue and trying not to frown as his thoughts immediately turned to Saruhiko he made for the basin, but he’d only managed to go a couple of steps when the light that had been the bane of his existence for so long abruptly went out. He couldn’t quite hold back a startled shout as the world was plunged into darkness around him, freezing in place as he glanced around wildly, unable to make out anything as his vision had become too accustomed to the light and fear prickled down his back as he realised just how vulnerable that left him. At once he raised his hands into a defensive position, even though he knew that they’d have to come through the door to get him, which would hopefully give him fresh light, although that was going to mess up his vision even more. _What are you planning?_ He demanded silently, not daring to speak aloud as he still had no idea whether or not the camera could record noise as well.

   The answer came in the form of a noise from the corner of the room, and he immediately whirled to face it, realising a split second before it opened that he was now facing the door. Panic and fear warred for control as light spilled into the room, blinding him temporarily and forcing him to take an alarmed step backwards in the hopes of giving himself more time to react to an attack. There was the sound of footsteps, and he tensed, only to scowl as they halted a short distance away, and slowly he blinked as he tried to accustom himself to the half-light. It took a couple of minutes, but his vision finally cleared aside from the worrying haze around the edges, and he immediately discarded that as he focused on the newcomer, hazel eyes widening with a mix of surprise and alarm.

“You..?”

****

   By the time they’d managed to get across to the place where Misaki had been taken the fight was mostly over, with a group of twelve greens or rather former greens. As their powers had vanished the moment they’d lost, sat against the wall, guarded by most of the other HOMRA members and looking more than a little worse for wear. In the past Fushimi would have scoffed at the sight, making some snide comment about the reds being too rough and ready, but today all he could think was that he wished that he could have got there sooner so that he could help, and his hand tensed around the hilt of his sword. Only the thought that they needed whatever information they could get from them, and that Munakata would have his head if he was unnecessarily violent, stilled his hand. It didn’t help that they were virtually on top of the spot where he’d Misaki’s belongings, and his other hand immediately came up to brush against the headphones around his neck. _Misaki…_

“Anna!” Kamamoto was the first to rush up to them, looking unsurprised at Fushimi’s presence, and the blue was startled to realise just how relieved he was to see the spark in the blond’s eyes. A spark that had been missing since the vanguard had been taken. In fact, looking around it was clear that this fight and the chance it offered for them to get information had given the entire clan a boost, and Fushimi had to admit that he felt the same. The endless searching without results and long nights of little or no sleep had been dragging him down more than he’d realised, and yet now he felt completely re-energised. “We lost a couple of them, but Dewa and Chitose are tracking them down so they can’t warn anyone about what happened here.”

“Good,” Anna nodded and offered him a warm smile, relieved to see him looking a little brighter. Then her eyes narrowed as she turned her attention back to their prisoners, startled to realise just how disappointed she was to have missed the fight itself. _I used to hate fighting, I couldn’t understand why everyone seemed to enjoy it so much, but now…_ Now she had a reason to fight, and her hands clenched at her sides as she glanced off to where she could still see the stain that Misaki’s blood had left, the sight of it helping to harden her heart. “Izumo, can you call Scepter4? They will need to be taken into custody once I have my answers and I don’t want to waste time waiting for them to arrive.”

“Of course,” Kusanagi replied at once, not liking the hard tone that she was using, but relieved that she seemed to be holding herself together enough to think rationally. Well aware that Mikoto would have probably burnt his way through them already, forgetting all about needing answers or the possible repercussions of not handing them over. He moved off to make the call, praying that Seri wouldn’t prove to be difficult after the failure of the meeting the other day, watching out of the corner of his eye as Anna approached the prisoners with a solemn expression, relieved to see Kamamoto and Fushimi immediately trailing after her.

   _They look so normal_ , Anna couldn’t stop the thought from forming as she studied the prisoners, now devoid of their helmets, eyes narrowing as she realised how frightened they looked now that they had no power of their own. Yet she couldn’t feel any sympathy for them. _Misaki is in a similar situation, and I doubt that you have shown him compassion, or that you would if given a chance_ …She had long since realised that Misaki had to have been kept from using his powers somehow, as no matter how frightened he was, she knew that he would have burned a path to freedom by now if he could still use his red. She just didn’t dare contemplate what methods they might have used to suppress his red, a faint shiver going through her as her dream came back to her, although she carefully concealed it, well aware that she couldn’t show that weakness here.

“Anna?”

“That one,” She replied as she turned to look at the man on the end of the row who’d been doing his best to avoid her gaze, unsure of whether that indicated that he knew something or not, but realising that they needed to start somewhere. At once Shōhei was there, roughly pulling the green to his feet and moving him further down the alley so that they had a semblance of privacy. She’d expected him to release their prisoner, but instead, he tightened his hold on the man’s arms, and a quick glance at his hardened eyes told her that he wasn’t going anywhere and she offered him a faint smile. _Thank you…_ Then her eyes darkened, and she shifted her attention back to the prisoner, realising that he was now staring at her with defiant eyes and she immediately let some of her power out, well aware that alone she didn’t make the most intimidating sight.

“You will tell us everything you can about JUNGLE and your King,” Anna ordered, and the man immediately opened his mouth to protest, only to fall silent as Kamamoto and Fushimi moved forward to flank her, their expressions harsh and unforgiving as they stared at him. However, what truly silenced him was the fire burning in the crimson eyes boring into his, and the pressure radiating from the girl as she stepped towards him. “You’re going to tell me where they’re keeping Misaki.”

****

“You…?"

   Yata growled as he glared at the smirking boy standing a short distance away, refusing to back away even as his mind screamed at him to be careful as he recalled just how much strength the boy – Sukuna, had shown when he’d faced him before. “What the hell do you want?” He demanded, trying to buy himself some time to gather his scattered thoughts. It had been days since he’d seen anyone and the sudden company was overwhelming, especially as he’d been expecting Yukari. Although… He stilled as he stared at the younger teen, well aware of how powerful he was, but unable to hold back the thought that maybe, just maybe the odds had turned in his favour. There was no way he was capable of beating Yukari in his current state, but if he at least gets past Sukuna, he might have a chance to escape.

_It can’t be that easy, but I have to try._

“You ran away from our fight the other day,” Sukuna replied, all traces of amusement disappearing from his expression and for a moment Yata’s determination wavered. That expression was eerily similar to Yukari’s, and a shudder went through him at the reminder of his captor, eyes narrowing as he realised that there was no way this was happening without his knowledge. _What is he planning?_ Suddenly his intention to accept the fight didn’t seem like such a good idea, as he knew there had to be something more to this than simply resuming the previous fight. “I want to finish that.” There was a sick feeling in the pit of Yata’s stomach that had nothing to do with his anger, but he swallowed and nodded in agreement, knowing that he couldn’t afford to lose this chance. _Not that it’s much of a chance…_

“Fine by me!” He snapped defiantly.

   Sukuna smirked at his response, seemingly unsurprised before abruptly turning on his heel and heading back out of the room. For a moment Yata just stared after him confusion, had that just been some kind of trick? However, it didn’t take long for him to realise that the door was still open and cautiously he edged towards it, not trusting the teen or the situation. Well aware that Yukari could also be out there waiting, and he almost turned back just at the thought of it. Only the thought of finding a way to escape, to get home and back to Anna’s side kept him moving forward, well aware that the odds were stacked so far against him that no one in their right mind would bet against his failure. When he reached the doorway, he peered out warily, the outside world seeming overwhelmingly daunting after so long on his own in that tiny room.

   His opponent was stood a short distance away watching him with expectant eyes, and Yata couldn’t back down from that challenge, and so he summoned the courage to step out into what seemed to be a tunnel of sorts. Not letting his focus drift completely from Sukuna he tried to take in his surroundings, the mix of metal and dull rock confusing him slightly as he tried to work out where on earth he was. Noticing that it seemed to be taking his mind longer than usual to connect the dots and after a moment he gave up and turned his entire focus back to Sukuna.

“Pick up your weapon,” Sukuna called, and Yata blinked in surprise before glancing down, his eyes narrowing as he realised that he’d been provided with a wooden pole similar to the one he’d been using in the Tower, and ever since. Hesitantly he bent down and retrieved it, hiding a wince as he curled his injured hand around it, not relishing the thought of fighting with that pain but unable to do anything about it. The pole was a similar weight and length, but it didn’t offer him any reassurance as he didn’t have his red to reinforce it, a shudder working its way through him as the thought that he could use his new green passed through his mind. _No way…_ He thought immediately, even though he knew that it might be the only way he could win.

   He had no more time to contemplate his options or new weapon, as he found himself stumbling to the side as a rushing sound warned him that Sukuna had already moved and his eyes widened as the deadly looking scythe the boy was wielding came perilously close to his face. _He’s not playing around…_ Back in the alley, it hadn’t felt like the boy was fighting seriously, yet now it was clear that he was one hundred per cent focused. Although at the same time it felt like the blow had been deliberately aimed so that it would miss even if he didn’t manage to dodge it. Desperately he swung the pole up to parry the next blow, eyes widening as the green blade bit into the wood, and for a moment he forgot himself as sparks danced across his own skin as the instinct to use his power rose. _No!_ Gasping he forced the sparks back, breaking away and stumbling back with wide eyes.

   However, he wasn’t given a chance to recover as Sukuna pressed his advantage and suddenly it seemed as though the green blade was everywhere and it was all he could do to keep it away from his body. Every movement felt as though it was taking at least twice as much effort as usual, and as he parried another blow that came too close to his chest for comfort he was horrified to realise that the haze around his vision was worsening. _What the hell?_ He knew that he hadn’t fought properly in a while, his efforts the day he’d been captured had been more than enough to tell him that he was a little rusty, but this was something more. It was only when that dancing blade caught his side, sending him stumbling to side with a cry as pain blossomed that his eyes widened in comprehension. He’d only focused on the stress of his captivity and the odd behaviour of his emotions, but those clearly weren’t the only changes, and a bitter chuckle tore itself free. _How could I think that I stood a chance? Yukari had this planned from the start, I was just to blind to see…_

   Still, he couldn’t falter, forcing himself upright once more and lashing out viciously, well aware that there was no way he was going to be able to win. His gaze darted to his hands once more, but he shook his head frantically. Even if he tried to use his green, he didn’t stand a chance. After all, it wasn’t a power he understood, anguish washing over him as he realised that for a brief moment he was disappointed by that lack of knowledge. _You can’t think like that. You don’t want to understand this power_ …His eyes were burning now, and his breathing had been reduced to short, sharp pants as he struggled to keep moving, his body beginning to protest its recent treatment as he pushed it further than it could manage, but he refused to stop. _I can fight_ …He had no idea how long he’d been here, and there had been no sign of the others coming to rescue him although he knew that they had to be searching, but he couldn’t leave it all up to them.

   His distraction cost him, and it was a fresh line of pain down his cheek that jerked him back into the present, and he sprang back. Only sheer stubbornness keeping him on his feet as the tunnel began to spin around him and he had to close his eyes for a moment, the motion making his stomach roll and reminding him of his earlier hunger. _What are you thinking?_ He scolded himself, unable to believe how much his thoughts were wondering in the middle of a fight. At school, it had always been impossible for him to stay focused, something that Saru had teased him about, but it had never really been an issue since he’d joined HOMRA, and it felt like he was losing another part of himself. _Idiot. Focus. You can worry about that later_ …Although if he didn’t get himself together, there wasn’t going to be a later he realised as Sukuna’s blade sliced through the air towards him, only a desperate twist saving him.

“Is this all that the vanguard of HOMRA is capable of?” Sukuna taunted, but it was the genuine disappointment in the green eyes that cut Yata to the core, and he barely managed to avoid the next blow. A flare of pain in his arm a second later telling him that he hadn’t been entirely successful in that endeavour. Hissing at the fresh pain he glanced down and saw crimson spreading over his already dirtied shirt, and he ground his teeth together in annoyance, eyes narrowing as he imagined what Saru would be saying if he could see him right now.

   That thought drove him forward, and he charged at Sukuna, only to realise a second later that he’d miscalculated, the fresh effort causing his vision to darken to the point where he could barely focus on anything, and he was unsurprised when the younger teen took advantage of his faltering movement. There was a dull pain in his chest as the boy slammed the handle of his weapon into him, driving all the air from him and sending him crashing to his knees, his borrowed weapon falling from his hand as he tried to brace himself. Chest heaving, he tried to regain his breath, the room spinning even as his vision cleared slightly and slowly he raised his head, defeat crashing down on him as he found Sukuna readying himself for the final blow and for a moment he was tempted to look away. However, some last vestige of defiance gave him the strength to hold his head up as the boy charged.

_I’m sorry Anna…Saru…_

“Enough!” The sudden command saw Sukuna’s scythe stop a short distance from Yata’s chest, but the vanguard couldn’t take any comfort from that as his eyes shifted across to the newcomer, fresh terror welling up as he met mocking, brown eyes and he swallowed back a whimper. _Yukari_. The time in isolation had made him forget the full extent of his fear of this man, and now it slammed into him at full strength, and he knew that he had flinched before he could even think of stopping himself. _Is this what he planned? To face me when I’m already down?_ But that didn’t make sense, after all, they’d already proven who was the stronger of the two _. So why?_ His already muddled mind couldn’t begin to make sense of Yukari’s motives, and instead, he settled on just watching the pair, hoping that they would let slip something that would help him make sense of the situation.

“But…” Sukuna’s voice was little more than a whine as he protested, and Yata tensed defensively as the boy’s hands tightened on his weapon, not trusting him to listen to Yukari’s command. Not that there was much he could do if Sukuna decided to finish the attack, especially as his vision was becoming somewhat fuzzy around the edges. _Don’t pass out here_ …With a hint of panic, he dug his fingers into one of the gashes the teen had left on him, the pain jerking him back to full alertness, although he had to bite his lip to stop himself from yelping at the pain, hoping to keep their attention off him as long as possible.

“You knew the rules when I said you could play with him,” Yukari pointed out sharply, not missing the actions from the vanguard and struggling to hide his amusement. This was working out just as he’d planned, and he was looking forward to the faces he was going to be able to draw out of the teen. But, for now, he had to deal with his clansman, who’d just adopted a particularly sulky expression and he narrowed his eyes in exasperation. “Don’t interfere Sukuna-chan. Besides I believe that Nagare-chan has a new mission for you.” He knew that he’d successfully distracted the teen when green eyes lit up with enthusiasm, although Sukuna made an effort to mask it. _You’ve got a long way to go before you can fool me_. He contemplated pointing that out but decided that he didn’t want to deal with the tantrum that was sure to greet his words.

“Fine…” Sukuna muttered after a moment, before smirking as he glanced at Yata who was watching their exchange with wary eyes and there was a mocking edge to his voice as he added casually. “You might need to patch him up though, I’d say his health bar is dropping fairly rapidly right now.” The vanguard wanted to dispute his words, but the blood soaking his top in multiple places and the weakness keeping him on the ground made him hold his tongue, and he found himself having to glance away instead as the boy’s smirk grew. Sukuna’s mocking laugh rang in his ears, and his hands curled into fists against the ground, but he made no effort to look up even as he heard the boy moving away.

_I lost…again…_

   The defeat wasn’t that unexpected, but it left a bitter taste in his mouth all the same, especially as he knew that it was unlikely that he was going to get another chance to escape. Worse was the fact that he had used up what little strength he had against Sukuna when he should have saved it for his main tormentor. For the man that he was now alone with. That thought had him glancing up in alarm as he realised that he’d allowed his attention to waver, and he reared back in alarm as he found Yukari crouched in front of him and this time he couldn’t stop himself from yelping, even as he struggled to hide his fear from the narrowed eyes studying his every move.

“Hello Little Crow,” Yukari greeted with a small smirk, and Yata instinctively bristled at the nickname, but he couldn’t summon up his voice to protest against it, highly aware of just how close the older man was. “I have to admit I was hoping that you’d put on a better show, especially with our power at your fingertips.”

“There’s no way I’m going to use that,” Yata snarled as he glared up at the older man, struggling not to flinch as Yukari’s eyes narrowed. Well aware that he was in no state to even attempt to fight at the moment and despite himself, his voice dropped to a politer tone as he added with more than a hint of desperation. “I’m not a member of JUNGLE, and I won’t become one…” _I won’t,_ he repeated silently even as his gaze dropped down to his hands, remembering those seconds when he’d come within inches of using the foreign power he could feel beneath his skin. _What was I thinking…?_

“Oh, but you are,” Yukari contradicted him, and it wasn’t so much his words as the sheer confidence behind them that brought Yata up short, stopping the protests that had immediately formed on the tip of his tongue and he blinked t the older man.

“What…?”

“Which sanctum can you access at the moment?” Yata paled at the implications behind that question, feeling his eyes beginning to sting as Yukari just smirked at his reaction, and he glanced away trying to hide from the knowing glance burning into him. The older man chuckled before reaching out and tilting Yata’s head up with his fingers, forcing the teen to meet his eyes, and enjoying the fear darkening the hazel orbs as Yata stared up at him. “Besides I saw it. I saw those seconds when green danced at your fingertips as you fought Sukuna, you wanted to use that power didn’t you?” It had been amusing to see the indecision and longing in the teen’s eyes during the fight, and privately he was impressed that the vanguard had managed to hold out against the desire. Knowing that he would find it nearly impossible after fighting with powers for so long, however, he carefully kept those thoughts of his face as he savoured the devastated expression his words had triggered.

“N-No…” Yata protested weakly.

“You shouldn’t lie Little Crow,” Yukari scolded and Yata winced as the older man’s fingers dug into his chin, struggling not to cry out as he tried to free himself from the painful grip, only to freeze a moment later as brown eyes turned ice cold as Yukari lent in until they were practically nose to nose. “It’s time you realised your place, Little Crow.”

“My p-place?”

“You’re no longer HOMRA’s vanguard,” Yukari stated coldly, catching the sharp intake of breath from the teen at his words, waiting for a second to see if Yata would protest but the teen was staring at him with wide eyes, a lost expression creeping across his face. _That’s right Little Crow, that’s the expression that I want to see from you._ Struggling not to smirk he added blandly. “Although I doubt they’d miss you if that’s what you’re capable of now, maybe that’s why they haven’t come after us yet.”

“W-what?” Yata did respond to that, although his voice wavered violently as he stared at the older man, searching for some hint of deception. _They’re not looking for me?_ Desperately he shook his head, trying to force some confidence back into his expression and voice as he whispered. “You’re lying….”

“Am I?” Yukari replied, his expression still not wavering from its cold expression and Yata felt like he had been doused in ice _. Could it be true?_ Before he would have said no, no matter what he’d been told or shown, but he couldn’t really deny that he wasn’t HOMRA’s vanguard anymore, after all, what kind of vanguard was so traumatised by an injury that he couldn’t fight? Or that allowed himself to get captured? Or went from defeat to defeat? Suddenly the hand holding his chin disappeared and relieved he took the opportunity to glance away, not wanting to see the cold certainty in the brown eyes still fixated on him, but there was no way to hide from Yukari’s next words. “You’ve been here nearly three weeks already, and we’ve not had one fight with HOMRA since then. I even heard that they turned down offers of help from the other clans.”

“N-No…” _Three weeks…?_ Yata knew that he’d lost all sense of time with the ever-present lights and his previous injuries, but had it really been that long? A shudder went through him as he realised that he had no way of knowing, and his heart plummeted. Even if it hadn’t been quite that long, he had been gone long enough that something should have happened. _Have they really given up on me?_ He didn’t want to believe it, and yet he couldn’t stop the doubt that he could feel creeping into his heart, and he felt tears beginning to trickle down his cheeks.

_Anna...Saru...Everyone...Have you given up on me…?_


	13. Chapter 13

   It took longer than Yata wanted to admit to pull his thoughts back together, his eyes sore from crying and his cheeks streaked with tears, and he was startled to realise that Yukari had managed to get him back into his prison without him noticing and that he was sat on the bed once more _. Not that I managed to get very far_ , he thought bitterly as he shifted slightly, wincing as he pulled on his newest injuries. Raising his head, he couldn’t stop himself from flinching back as he found that the older man hadn’t left, and was crouched a short distance away, watching him with calculating eyes. Slowly Yukari closed the gap between them, and Yata inched backwards only to come up short as he hit the wall, unable to do anything as Yukari reached out and brushed away the tears on his cheeks.

“Stop…”

“I was beginning to think I’d broken you,” Yukari commented, ignoring the way that Yata shuddered at his touch as he studied the vanguard, eyes narrowing as he studied the fresh crimson staining the side and sleeve of the teen’s shirt. As much as it had served his purpose to let the vanguard fight and lose, he didn’t want to risk losing the teen at this stage in the game, “Remove your shirt so I can take a look at your injuries.”

   Yata immediately shook his head in refusal at the order. He already felt vulnerable in front of the older man, there was no way he wanted to expose himself further and he wrapped his arms around himself defensively. Yukari was amused by the defiance, impressed that the teen still had the strength to try and fight back after his meltdown just before. However, it wasn’t helpful at the moment, and with a slight huff he reached forward and seized the neck of Yata’s shirt. Ignoring the frightened yelp that met his actions he yanked on the material, the already damaged material giving way easily beneath the force of his pulling and he swiftly pulled the remnants off.

“Leave me alone,” Yata whimpered as he drew in on himself, wincing as he caught the wound on his side, a quick glance down showing that his side was streaked crimson. The pain of his injuries had faded in the face of the thought that the other’s weren’t looking for him, but now that his attention had been drawn back to them he couldn’t ignore the pain, and he winced as he shifted uneasily. “Don’t,” he protested as Yukari began to prod at the cut, hissing as the older man put pressure on the injury and struggling to hold back further noises as his injured arm was lifted to the side.

“These need cleaning,” Yukari declared after a moment, rising smoothly to his feet and moving across to the sink, soaking the material through before pausing and turning to look back at Yata who was watching his every movement with wary eyes. Waving the damp cloth towards him, he added tauntingly. “See Little Crow, you’re not even capable of caring for your own wounds.” Yata bristled at the words, and there was a brief flicker of defiance in the hazel eyes before the teen glanced aside, and the Green smirked as he turned off the tap and turned back towards the bed. “What use are you to HOMRA?” That got more of a response, as the teen tensed and glared at him, clearly struggling to find the words to reply.

“I’m…”

“No answer?” Yukari asked with a soft chuckle as he reached out to press the damp material against the deeper cut on the teen’s side, pressing down unnecessarily hard and drawing a pained hiss from Yata. “Are you beginning to realise the truth of your situation?”

“You’re a liar…” Yata managed to force out after a moment, jerking away from Yukari and his ministrations, he’d rather ride out the pain of his injuries on his own than accept ‘help’ from the older man. “I know they won’t give up on me. I believe in them…” The next thing he knew there was fresh pain blossoming on his already injured cheek, and he couldn’t stop himself from crying out, staring wide-eyed at Yukari even as he lifted his hand to his now stinging cheek and grimaced as he tasted copped in his mouth. “What the...?”

“Silence, Little Crow,” Yukari cut him off harshly, and Yata immediately fell silent, hearing the threat in his voice and barely resisting the urge to cower away from it. The cold eyes remained fixed on him for a moment, and slowly he let his hand fall away from his stinging cheek, lowering his head even and clenching his hands nervously in his lap. Apparently, that had been the correct response, as the older man reached out and patted his head, although the gesture felt anything but comforting and it took all of Yata’s willpower not to pull back. “You shouldn’t cling to such foolish ideas; things will only get better for you when you accept the fact that they have given up on you.” The words cut just as deeply this time, but this time he couldn’t leave it unchallenged, and slowly he lifted his head once more.

“I w-won’t give up on them,” he retorted, although he had failed to gather the amount of force and certainty that he had been aiming for. _I won’t_ …Even in the safety of his own mind, the declaration sounded weak, but he desperately clung to it, knowing that he needed too if he wanted to stand a chance of holding out against whatever else Yukari had planned him. Realising that whatever ‘game’ the older man had planned for him was only just getting started.

“What a pity,” Yukari sighed, but from the gleam that had appeared in his eyes Yata could tell that he had expected that response, and his stomach rolled uneasily as he realised that he’d played right into his hands. _What the hell do you want? How do I stop you?_ He didn’t dare voice the questions aloud though, as there was a somewhat dangerous expression on Yukari’s face as he discarded the cloth and rose to his feet once more. “It seems as though you haven’t quite learnt your place yet, and it looks like there are still some more lessons you need to learn.”

   Yata tensed in fear as the older man leaned over him, bracing himself for more pain, and he was caught by surprise when instead Yukari reached out and cupped his uninjured cheek in his hand. He could only begin to imagine what his expression was showing as Yukari chuckled softly, leaning forward so that he could whisper softly in the teen’s ear, seemingly uncaring of the trembling now wracking his body.

“I look forward to seeing your earlier expression again, Little Crow,” with that declaration Yukari pulled away, smirking down at him briefly before heading for the door without another word. It was only when the door closed behind the older man that Yata found himself able to breathe once more, although he tensed as he heard the sound of the door locking. _I failed_ …He released a shuddering breath as he sank back against the wall, staring blankly at the door as that realisation settled over him, Yukari’s earlier words echoing through his head and he felt his eyes beginning to sting once more.

_Please, don’t give up on me._

****

   Anna sighed in frustration as she stormed back into the bar, her aura playing around her as she struggled to rein in her disappointment and anger, ignoring the worried looks she was receiving from her clansmen as she stormed up the stairs to her room, needing a few minutes at least to calm down. In the room she flung herself onto the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling as she tried to calm her aura, but she couldn’t move past the fact that all their efforts that afternoon had been a failure. _Nothing, we got nothing…_ She had questioned every one of the Greens that Dewa and the others had apprehended, but not one of them had, had the vaguest idea of where to find their King or Yukari. The only thing they had managed to learn was that the only people with that information were Nagare Hisui himself, and the J-Rank members…

   Not one of those they had caught were above a level G, and now they weren’t even that, as their powers had been stripped from them before they could even be handed over to SCEPTER 4. The Blues now had them in custody, which at least meant that there were a few fewer clansmen for them to deal with, but it didn’t help them in the slightest when it came to finding Misaki, and she had to admit that the latest failure was a hard blow to accept. She had foolishly allowed herself to get her hopes up, and she found herself even more adrift now that hope had been dashed. _How are we supposed to find him? How am I supposed to bring him home?_

   She was unsurprised when the bedroom door opened a few minutes later, and Kusanagi slipped inside, closing it quietly behind him, before moving across and settling on the bed beside her. Not wanting to look at him she turned onto her side presenting him with her back, but he didn’t say anything or make any move to reach out and touch her, he was simply there, his presence comforting in its own way. Eventually, though the silence began to grate on her nerves, and she hooked her fingers into the duvet as she struggled to gather her thoughts enough to speak.

“I don’t understand how a clan can work like that,” Anna muttered forlornly, and he hummed softly to show that he was listening, finally reaching out to rest a gentle hand on her shoulder to encourage her to continue. “There’s barely any contact with their King, and it seems like they don’t even fully understand what they’re involved in…” She couldn’t imagine keeping things from her clan, and while she knew that there were ranks in SCEPTER 4, she couldn’t see Reisi treating his clansmen like the Greens were being treated. She gritted her teeth at that thought, not wanting to feel sympathy for them, as some of them had no doubt been involved in the hunt for Misaki even if they hadn’t fully understood what they were doing.

“Yet it’s working in their favour,” Kusanagi replied with a sigh, and Anna rolled onto her back once more so that she could peer up at him, silently urging him to continue. “They must’ve known that we’d resort to questioning their clansman. This way they continue their attacks without risking any important information.” _And taunt us with our failures at the same_ time, he added silently, but he refused to say that aloud when Anna was already looking more disheartened that he had ever seen her. Although it was clear that she had shared his train of thought as her eyes narrowed briefly before she sighed.

“We have to find a way to draw out their higher ranking members. They’re the only ones that are going to have the information we need. But…”

“They’re not going to be that easy to draw out,” Kusanagi finished for her, and she nodded slightly. There had been no sign of Yukari since before Misaki had been taken, and the only other high ranking member they were aware of was Sukuna, and again there had been no sign of him since Fushimi had faced him on the school island. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning to look down at her, finally daring to ask a question that had been bothering him for days, well aware that she wanted to get her hands on Yukari rather than Sukuna and worried about just how far she would go. “Anna, what do you plan to do when we find Yukari?” Crimson eyes darkened for a moment, and he could feel her aura beginning to flare before she clamped down on it, before she slowly met his gaze.

“I don’t know.”

_That’s what worries me…_

****

   Yata hissed as he gingerly cleaned himself up. He had been left on his own for an hour or so before the door had opened and he’d been tossed a small first aid kit, along with a sharp command to clean up his injuries and then Yukari had disappeared again before he could even summon up a response. At first, he had contemplated disobeying, after all, what did it matter at this point? He couldn’t fight his way out of here. If he couldn’t defeat a kid like Sukuna, then he stood no chance against Yukari, and if no one was actually looking for him, then what was the point of trying to heal up? A flicker of stubbornness had appeared as the last thought had tried to settle across his shoulders, and he’d forced himself to move from the bed and set to work on his injuries.

   Gritting his teeth as it was impossible to work on one cut without aggravating something else, he let his thoughts begin to drift in the hopes of distracting himself from the pain, and from the fears that Yukari’s words had stirred up. As he dabbed a clean cloth against his side, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from drifting back to the one and only time he’d tried to tend his own injuries before…

_He’d only been with HOMRA for a few weeks when he’d got his first serious injury, having been caught out on his own by a small gang that had apparently been trying to make inroads on HOMRA’s territory for the past couple of months. He’d been outnumbered seven to one, and at that time he was still learning to use his skateboard in battle and in the end he had been forced to retreat, although not without sending several of them packing with nasty wounds as well. However, it had only been as he was tearing back towards the bar that he realised one of them had managed to catch him across the chest with a blade of some sort…and while the wound wasn’t deep it definitely couldn’t be left untended. However, he couldn’t bear the thought of having to face everyone and admit that he had been both defeated and injured._

_Instead, he had turned and headed back to the small flat he was sharing with Fushimi, praying that the younger teen was at the bar so he could get himself cleaned up without worrying him. Thankfully that appeared to be the case as his wary shout as he stepped inside had been met with silence, and he’d dashed off to the bathroom, hoping to get everything sorted before he got caught. In the bathroom he cleaned off his face quickly, wincing as he caught a split lip that he hadn’t even noticed receiving in the first place before pulling off his ruined shirt and turning his attention to the cut. Wincing he carefully cleaned it. Scowling as he realised that it was going to be a pain to bandage up. And he was just in the process of trying to work out how to do that when there was a sharp cough from the doorway, and he let out a small yelp of alarm before whirling defensively, only to freeze as he found himself pinned by Saru’s angry gaze._

_“Saru…”_

_“Idiot! What the hell are you trying to do?” Saruhiko demanded as he stepped into the bathroom, eyes flashing as his attention shifted to the cut, and Yata rather uselessly tried to cover himself, only to hiss as he moved wrong and pulled on the injury. At once Fushimi was next to him, taking the blood-stained cloth and bandages from him with surprisingly gentle hands and pushing Yata’s hands out of the way as he took over the ministrations. “Why didn’t you come and tell us you were hurt?” Yata could hear the ‘tell me’ that Fushimi had really wanted to say, and the concern that was hidden beneath the dark scowl on his face and he glanced sheepishly at the floor already knowing that his answer wasn’t going to go down well._

_“I didn’t want to bother anyone…”_

   Needless to say, Fushimi had been less than impressed with him, and after tearing strips off him at home, the dark-haired teen had proceeded to drop him in it when they made it to the bar the next day. As a result, he had been forced to promise never try and hide an injury again, and for several months afterwards, there had always been someone there to check that he wasn’t hiding anything after a fight. It was a tradition that Kamamoto and Kusanagi had maintained even after Saru had left HOMRA, and Yata found his hands beginning to tremble as he set about bandaging himself up the best he could, wishing that there was someone else here to help. Even if it was only to tell him off for dealing with it himself, or just to tell him that everything was going to be all right.

“As if,” he muttered under his breath, hastily quashing that surprisingly hopeful thought as he turned his gaze towards the door. There was nothing about this situation that he could draw hope from, and he hadn’t forgotten Yukari’s parting words. Something else was going to happen, he knew that much, but he had no way of preparing for it. All he could do was wait, and hope that when the time came, he managed to hold it together, something that he was no longer confident about regardless of what he tried to tell himself.

_Anna…Saru…_

****

Two days later:

   Kamamoto sighed as he slumped back in his chair, rubbing a hand across eyes that were beginning to sting from staring at the computer screen for too long, shooting an envious glance across at Fushimi who was still typing away without the slightest sign of stopping. The last couple of days had seen their forces split across their territory as JUNGLE seemed to have ramped up their activities again, but it was never anyone of importance, so they had taken to just dealing with them as soon as possible and leaving them for SCEPTER 4 to take into custody. In a way, they had inadvertently ended up helping the other two clans, but it was the only way to continue with their search for Yata, and it had earned them promises from both Shiro and Munakata that they would be alerted the moment anyone encountered either Nagare or his J-rank clansmen.

   Still that left them at a dead-end of sorts, sending them back to their previous methods of searching, and it felt as though they must’ve gone over everything a dozen times or more, but it seemed as though they were further from finding their missing vanguard than ever and the strain was beginning to tell on all of them. Kusanagi had completely abandoned his attempts to do anything with the bar, spending most of his time on the phone to contacts old and new, his expression getting grimmer as everything lead turned out to be nothing but hearsay and more than once he had snapped at their clansmen, only to apologise seconds later. Anna was as calm as ever on the surface, but Kamamoto hadn’t missed the fact that she had taken to disappearing several times a day, always returning with her eyes a little redder than before, and Fushimi…

   The blond had been doubtful when the Blue had first started spending so much time with Yata after the Tower incident, worried about his best friend getting his hopes up only to end up with them crushed. And he had to admit that he had been somewhat jealous when Fushimi had been the one that Yata had chosen to turn to when frightened. However, his suspicion had begun to fade slightly even before the vanguard had been taken, and watching the Blue now as he worked away with a fervour that could put the rest of them to shame, he had to admit that he’d been wrong. And now he found himself worried that Fushimi would burn himself out before they even came close to finding Yata, as he had a feeling that the younger man hadn’t rested properly since Yata had been taken. Not that any of them were sleeping well, but at least they tried to rest.

“They’ve sent us something else…” Fushimi’s quiet voice cut into his thoughts, immediately drawing all attention to him and his expression was grim as he glanced up at them. At once they all abandoned what they had been doing, gathering around his computer without a word as they shared worried expressions, the memory of the last message still close to the surface.

“Show it,” Kusanagi ordered when Fushimi hesitated for a moment, and he sighed before obediently clicking on the message, only to blink as a photo of Misaki filled the screen, and for a moment all they could do was stare at it in surprise, having expected something similar to the last graphic.

“Misaki…” Anna whispered.

“Yata,” Kusanagi breathed as he lent in to study the photo, eyes darting to the date stamp in the corner, and letting out a soft sigh of relief. It was barely half an hour old, which meant that Yata was still alive. In his darkest moments, he had feared that they might be chasing a ghost by now, not that he had ever voiced that thought aloud around the others. However, the relief quickly faded to the background, his expression darkening as he took in the poorly bandaged injuries on the teen’s torso, and the bruise on his left cheek and his voice was a low growl as he pointed it out to the others. “He’s hurt.” Kamamoto let out a low snarl at the news, although he quickly reached out to lay a supportive hand on Anna’s shoulder as he heard her sharp intake of breath.

   Fushimi stayed silent, his eyes never straying from the screen, not trusting himself to speak at the moment. _Misaki_ …It had been one thing to know what was probably happening to the vanguard, but it was a completely different thing to be able to see the evidence in front of his eyes, and his hands clenched as he realised that he was just as helpless now as he had been the day that Misaki had been taken. _Why can’t I protect him?_ No matter what they tried it seemed as though the Greens were several steps ahead, and even the skills that he’d prided himself in were proving useless now. Blinking he scowled as he noted the second attachment, hesitating before moving the mouse across to hover over it, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach as he realised what it was.

“There’s a video as well…”

“Play it,” Anna ordered once she’d regained her voice, crimson eyes blazing as she stared at the screen with more than a hint of fear in her eyes. Fushimi glanced at Kamamoto and Kusanagi, waiting until the latter gave a nod before reluctantly pressing play, dreading what the contents might show.

_For the first minute or so it didn’t seem as though anything was happening, but then as they watched, Misaki slowly shifted, his hand creeping up to ghost over his injured cheek. However, he shied away after a moment, and a grimace passed over his face as he lowered his hand once more, hanging his head for a moment, before abruptly forcing himself to his feet with a soft groan. At once he stumbled, swaying as though his legs weren’t strong enough to support his weight and he desperately reached out to grasp the wall to steady himself. He remained like that for a few minutes before beginning to move stiffly around the room, his steps faltering._

_He was on his sixth circuit of the room, just passing the door again when he froze for a moment, his hands forming into fists at his sides. A second later he was throwing himself towards the door, desperately slamming his fists against the door despite the pain that it was obviously causing him, there was no control or thought behind his efforts as he alternated between punches and scrabbling wildly at the door._

_“LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!” Yata screamed as he resorted to flinging himself bodily at the door, his determination fading away into broken sobs as he slumped against the door, as what strength he had drained away. “Please…”_

“Stop it…” Kamamoto begged, and Kusanagi immediately reached passed a frozen Fushimi to pause the video as he caught the tears swimming in the burly man’s eyes and a quick glance at Anna showed that she was in a similar state.

“Just for a moment,” he cautioned, knowing that no matter how painful it was, they needed to finish watching it. For a moment he pinched the bridge of his nose, struggling to rein in his own emotions as he knew that one of them had to keep a somewhat level head for the time being, before he glanced down at Fushimi who was still staring at the screen, worried by the blank expression on his face. “Fushimi?”

“I’m fine…”

“Sure you are,” Kusanagi muttered under his breath, reaching out tentatively as though to grasp the teen’s shoulder before thinking better about it. Fushimi might be willing to accept comfort from Anna, but he had never been particularly comfortable accepting it from him and he doubted that would have changed. Still, he couldn’t help but worry as he watched the Blue’s hand tensing around the mouse, and he bit back a curse. _Damn you JUNGLE, is this really just one big game to you?_

“Keep playing it,” Anna ordered softly a moment later, and when he glanced at her, she was completely composed once more, although her eyes were suspiciously bright as she met his gaze for a moment. A quick glance at Kamamoto showed that he had got himself back under control as well, although he couldn’t remember seeing the usually jovial man look so broken before. And he wondered whether Misaki was really the only one they should be worrying about shattering before all this was over. Still, that was something he would have to face later, and so he settled for gently nudging Fushimi who jolted violently, glancing at him wide-eyed before realising what Anna had said, and none of them missed the way he hesitated before clicking play once more.

_“Please, l-let me out,” Yata finished softly his voice wobbling wildly, resting against the door for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. Slowly he lifted his fist as though to try again, but he’d barely begun to pull it back before his skin was illuminated by green sparks dancing across his skin. It was like a switch had been flicked, and he reared back, eyes wide as shot backwards, clearly trying to escape the sparks that were slowly spreading to his other hand and up both arms. His breathing was growing harsher and faster, his panic intensifying as the flashes continued to spread across his body, reacting to his rising emotions._

_“No, stop it…stop it…stop it,” he pleaded desperately as he hunkered down in the corner, visibly fighting to calm himself as he wrapped his arms around his knees, and slowly the green sparks began to fade away. However, even when they eventually disappeared altogether, he didn’t relax. Instead, his expression crumpled into a broken mask as he stared down at his hands as though they belonged to someone else, or at least as though he wished they did. Slowly. Cautiously he clenched his hands, warily watching for any sign of the sparks returning when there was no sign of them he slowly unfolded himself although he made no effort to get up. Instead, he sank back against the wall with a defeated sigh, slowly raising his head to stare across at the door and sniffling before whispering softly._

_“Anna…Saru…You’re not coming are you?”_

   Misaki sound young and lost, and they caught a brief glimpse of the tears that had begun to steak down his cheeks before the screen went black. For several minutes after the video had ended, there was nothing but silence in the bar, none of them knowing what to say or do, as his final words hung in the air. The sight of his injuries had been hard enough to bear, but hearing him pleading, and to realise that he was already beginning to lose hope that they were coming for him…

   Eventually, the silence was broken, not by words, but by a sudden outpouring of power as Anna lost the tentative hold she had over her aura, and they were all forced to step away from her as flames erupted around her. Kusanagi desperately wanted to tell her to calm down, to reassure her that they were going to fix this, but he found himself unable to force the words out. Yata’s last words echoing in his ears and weighing him down, and all he could do was whisper her name, hoping that would be enough to cut through her rage and bring her back on keel.

“Anna…”

“You need to calm down,” Fushimi cut in sharply, rising from his seat as he shook off his shock for the time being and turned to face her, not even flinching as her aura seemed to flare towards him for a moment.

“Don’t tell me to calm down! Don’t you dare!” Anna snapped sounding nothing like herself as she glared at the computer, although her expression immediately softened as she shot him an apologetic look. Taking a deep breath, she forcefully reigned her aura in once more, swiping at her stinging eyes, before trying to continue. “Misaki is…Misaki…” She shook her head helplessly, unable to force the words out as tears began to trickle down her cheeks, and this time she wasn’t able to do anything to stop them. Realising this Fushimi buried his own growing temper, stepping across to her before either of the other two could react and pulling her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her as she buried her face against him.

“Shh Anna,” He murmured, dark eyes fierce as he stared at the screen, not commenting on the dampness that he could feel soaking into the front of his uniform. “We’ll get him back.” He was relieved that the words had come out sounding calm and confident, a direct contrast to the storm that had been brewing inside him from the moment he had seen the picture of Misaki. _We’re losing him_ …Misaki’s last words echoed through his mind, and he tightened his hold on Anna as he desperately tried to bury that thought in the back of his mind.

“No matter what that video showed, there’s no way that he could have lost all faith in us,” Kusanagi added softly as he watched them both, and Fushimi struggled not to let his surprise show when he realised that the older man was including him in that, glancing away as he caught the knowing look in Kusanagi’s eyes. “Misaki isn’t the type to lose faith that easily. Yukari is in for a nasty surprise if he thinks he can break him that easily.” _I hope_ …If he was honest, he wasn’t sure how much he believed his own words. In the past, there was no way he would have been able to doubt Misaki’s faith in them, but this wasn’t the first time they had failed him recently, and the vanguard hadn’t been at full strength either mentally or physically when he was taken.

_Mikoto. Tatara, please protect him until we get there…_

“Yeah…” Anna whispered softly as she slowly pulled her face away from its hiding present, hating that she had broken down in front of them, although at least it had just been the four of them. As she glanced across at Kusanagi, she could see the doubts lingering in his expression, but she didn’t comment on it, knowing that they needed that reassurance even if it was false if they were going to continue to move forward. A quick glance at Kamamoto showed that he was slowly gathering himself as well, although from the way his gaze kept returning to the computer screen it was going to be a while before he was able to move past what they’d seen. If any of them managed to move past it…

“Are you calmer?” Fushimi asked quietly as he glanced down at her, knowing better than to ask if she was okay, after all, there was no way any of them were going to be okay after seeing that. Slowly she pulled away before giving him a small nod, reaching up to scrub at her cheeks for a moment, before she rose up on tiptoes so that she could press her lips against his cheek and her lips twitched slightly as she caught the flustered expression on his face.

“I think so…Thank you, Saru.”

*

   Fushimi had waited until they had all calmed down a bit more, Kusanagi eventually moving off to call back the rest of HOMRA so that they could be filled in on this latest development and to let Seri know what was going on, before he slipped out the back, desperately in need of a moment to himself. He’d barely made it out into the courtyard before his temper boiled over, and before he even knew what he was doing, he had lashed out at the nearest wall, biting down on his bottom lip to stop himself yelping as the skin on his knuckles split under the force of the blow. Hissing he pulled the limb back against himself, the pure fury that had filled him a moment before, draining away just as quickly as it had come and he found himself sinking to his knees as all the strength fled from him. _Misaki_ …

   He had never seen or heard Misaki look as broken as he had in that video, even in the aftermath of what had happened at the Tower, and he feared what that might mean for the vanguard. He had barely held it together after the Tower, and that had been with all of them there to support him. Now he was on his own, surrounded by enemies that wanted nothing more than for him to break. A fresh spark of anger rose in his chest at that thought, Misaki was never meant to be broken, he was supposed to be loud and headstrong and always moving forward in a way that Fushimi had always envied. Taking a shaky breath, he tried to force himself to stand, knowing that he needed to get back to work, that he had to find Misaki before they lost him completely and yet his body refused to move.

   It took him a minute to realise that at some point tears had begun to trickle down his cheeks, and he raised trembling hands to try and brush them away. However, as soon as he managed to clear some away, they were replaced by new ones and eventually he abandoned his efforts, instead bowing his head so that no one would be able to see. Not that there was anyone there to witness his meltdown. _Misaki, I’m so sorry…I…_ Even his thoughts were fracturing, and he couldn’t hold back the sob that welled up, even though he did his best to suppress it. _Misaki_ …

   He was so lost in his misery that he didn’t hear the door opening, and he nearly leapt out of his skin as he was suddenly wrapped in a hug, instinctively fighting to free himself before he caught sight of familiar white hair. The fight immediately draining out of him as he slowly raised his head, finding Anna peering at him with a worried expression and he immediately tried to glance away, only to find the movement halted by her hand coming to rest on his cheek as she brushed away some of his tears.

“I knew you weren’t okay,” she murmured softly, and he felt another sob welling up as she held her gaze, and her expression softened as she released his cheek in favour of wrapping her arms around him once more. “Let it out.” The gentle order undid whatever restraint he had been clinging to, and he found himself burying his face against her shoulder as he finally gave into the storm that had been building from the moment he had realised that Misaki had been taken.

_Misaki…_

****

   Yata stared listlessly at the door as he sat huddled in the corner of his room. It had been at least a couple of days since his fight with Sukuna, and his injuries were stinging fiercely, and distantly he wondered whether they were becoming infected as he hadn’t had anything to clean them properly. It had occurred to him that Yukari would probably help if he asked if only to keep him around to torment more, and it had been that thought that had stilled his tongue, even though he knew he might regret it later. The only somewhat positive change had been that he had been given food the day after the fight, although he had stupidly tried to gorge himself on it, hoping that he could regain his strength and maybe fight again. Of course, his stomach hadn’t coped with the strain, and he’d found himself bringing most of it up. Since then he’d just tossed the remaining food in with the already spoiled stuff, even though he knew he might be throwing his only chance to eat away, but again he couldn’t muster the energy to care.

   It was hard to bring up the energy to care about anything at the moment. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t keep Yukari’s words out of his mind. The thought that he had been abandoned burrowing its way deep inside, despite his attempts to convince himself that there was no way they would leave him behind. If that wasn’t bad enough, it had been affecting his control over his damned green abilities, and more than once he’d found himself covered in green sparks. It wasn’t enough power to be able to do any harm, after all, they wouldn’t want to give him something they could use against them, but it was a reminder of where he was and the fact that he couldn’t access the red sanctum. Shivering he huddled in on himself, reaching up to rest his hand against his tattoo, the only thing that offered him any semblance of comfort anymore, although even its impact had been severely dampened by Yukari’s words. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to abandon it, needing even that flicker of hope to cling to, even if it wasn’t going to do him any good in the long run.

_I am HOMRA…I am HOMRA…_

****

  _“Anna…Saru…You’re not coming are you?”_

   Fushimi rubbed his bandaged hand over his face as he stared at the screen, his eyes stinging slightly even as reached out and press play once more. Rationally he knew that it wasn’t helping anyone to be doing this, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to stop, even though the images and words had long since been imprinted on his memory. After his breakdown earlier, he felt the need to do something…anything to make up for the fact that he fallen apart so easily, although Anna had scoffed when he’d said that earlier once he’d managed to get himself back under control. She had stayed by his side for the rest of the afternoon once they’d gone back inside, but she hadn’t said a word to anyone about his moment of weakness, although he had a feeling that Kusanagi at least had an idea of what had happened.

   As much as he hated the fact that he had fallen apart, he had to admit that it had eased some of the pressure, although it certainly didn’t seem to have made watching the video any easier. Scowling he stared at the screen, trying not to focus on Misaki although it was difficult when the vanguard was injured, instead he studied the room, trying to pick up on anything that could indicate where Misaki was being held. However, he found himself being distracted by little details that he hadn’t really paid attention to before. The small size of the room, something that he knew Misaki must absolutely hate as the older teen had never liked being cooped up, and the pile of what appeared to be spoiling food by the door. _Misaki, what else are they doing to you?_

“Fushimi?” Munakata’s voice made him start, flailing slightly as he managed to hit pause before turning to look at the older man, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in how pale and strained his King looked. He’d seen Awashima when he’d first returned to headquarters, and he’d seen the worry in her eyes when she mentioned that Munakata had spent the day with the Slates yet again. But he hadn’t expected there to be such a visible change in his King’s demeanour, and he shifted uneasily unsure of whether he should mention it, or how to even go about that, as he had always avoided talking about anything apart from work. However, he was spared from trying to find the words to say anything by Munakata continuing. “I didn’t expect to find you here at this time.”

“I was attempting to catch up on some paperwork,” Fushimi replied with a sigh, glancing briefly at the clock on the wall and surprised to realise just how late it had got, before gesturing at the pile by his elbow. He’d been hoping that it would distract him somewhat, but while he’d managed to get through most of it, his thoughts had constantly been on the video, and he’d given up about half an hour ago. Seeing the way Munakata’s eyes strayed to the computers in front of him, he grimaced and added softly. “I’m also attempting to track a video that JUNGLE sent us earlier today. I thought that the computers here might have a better chance than the ones I have at the bar.” _Although if it’s anything like their network, I don’t stand a chance…_

“Ms Awashima said that there had been news,” Munakata commented, and Fushimi paused for a moment, catching the genuine concern in his voice and frowning slightly. So far the Blue King had kept himself separate from what was happening between JUNGLE and HOMRA, beyond giving him the leeway to continue the search for the vanguard, and he wasn’t sure what to make of the shift in his tone.

“They’re taunting us…” Fushimi snarled under his breath as he gestured at the screen, deciding that it was a safer topic than discussing Munakata’s current attitude to the situations, although his hands clenched into fists at the reminder of what he had been watching before he was interrupted and he winced as he pulled on his sore knuckles. “I’m just hoping that there’s something there that I can use…” He added in a softer voice.

“I see,” Munakata said softly, gaze lingering briefly on the bandaged hand and for a moment it seemed as though he was going to comment on it, but then his expression evened out. “I’ll leave you to your work then,” he inclined his head and turned to leave, but halted for a moment and Fushimi narrowed his eyes, wondering what had stopped him. “Please inform Ms Awashima if

you require assistance. We can’t spare much in terms of manpower, but within reason, we can assist as long as it aids us in curtailing JUNGLES activities.”

“Understood…thank you,” Fushimi blinked as he realised that the older man had slipped out before he could finish speaking, and for a long moment he just stared at where Munakata had been standing. He wasn’t sure whether it was because his own thoughts were hazy, but it had almost seemed as though the last bit had been forced. As though his King had wanted to offer assistance regardless of its usefulness to SCEPTER 4. Shaking his head he turned his attention back to the screen, silently making a note to speak to Awashima in the morning, after all, it didn’t really matter what the motives behind it was, they needed more help if they were going to find Misaki before he broke any further. Snarling at that thought he hit play once more, eyes narrowed as he stared at the screen.

_Damn it Misaki, where the hell are they hiding you?_


	14. Chapter 14

    Yukari was humming softly as he worked on his face, attention split between the mirror in front of him and the tablet by his side, a small smirk growing as he studied the image of the HOMRA vanguard sitting huddled in the corner of his room. It seemed that his words the other day had been far more effective than he’d thought. While he knew that part of the cause was the teen’s deteriorating physical condition, the boy’s defiance had been dying over the past couple of days, the angry outbursts that had been entertaining him for the past week reduced to the odd weak cry before the teen would retreat in on himself, and his lips curled up. _It would seem this game has nearly run its course._ As he shifted his attention back to his own reflection, contemplating whether now was the time for the next step in the game or whether he should enjoy the show a little longer, the door behind him opened and he heard the distinctive sound of Nagare’s chair entering the room.

“Good morning Nagare- chan,” He greeted cheerfully as he turned to look at his King, catching the way the mismatched eyes darted to the tablet for a moment and the curiosity that flickered across the Nagare’s face for a moment. After a moment all expression disappeared, and he hid a smile as caught his King struggling to hold the blank expression as he moved to his usual spot without speaking. Yukari was tempted to tease him for his efforts, but he found himself holding back as he caught the expectant air that the younger man was letting off, and instead he waited for his King to speak, already having a good idea what could have brought on that anticipation.

“I intend to make our move soon,” Nagare said after a long moment, confirming Yukari’s suspicions and he couldn’t hide his own anticipation at the news. While it was fun to play with the HOMRA vanguard, their main game was much more interesting. Besides if he had his way, that was going to be the stage on which his Little Crow was going to shine. He wasn’t sure whether it was something in his expression that had encouraged the question, or whether Nagare had already planned on asking, but he felt his anticipation increase at his King’s words. “Will your little game be concluded by then?”

“Oh?” Yukari’s smirk grew as he turned to look at his King for a moment before gesturing to the tablet at his side, watching the earlier curiosity return. “You want to make use of my Little Crow?”

“Whilst I am confident our power will be more than enough enough, it seems unwise not make use of all the tools at our disposal,” Nagare replied dispassionately, and Yukari could hear Iwafune’s influence in his words, although the next part was purely his King as he caught the mischief in the younger’s voice. “Besides, isn’t that the point of your game?”

“Indeed,” he agreed readily. _Of course, what fun is a game with only a couple of players?_

“So?”

“He’ll be ready,” Yukari replied, well aware that his King had games of his own to play before the main event, which would provide him with more than enough time to finish moulding the vanguard.

“You sound confident,” Nagare commented unsurprised, unable to recall a time that the older man had expressed any kind of hesitation or doubt, and yet he couldn’t resist testing that resolve. “From what Sukuna told me he still seems to be resisting.”

“Of course, it would be boring if he didn’t,” Yukari replied with a frown, somewhat irritated that the younger J-rank had felt free to discuss his project, but he brushed it aside as he turned his attention back to the tablet as an idea formed in the back of his mind. “But, the cracks are growing. Would you care to see?”

“You have proof?”

“Watch,” Yukari offered by way of a reply, holding the tablet out so that they could both view the screen, smirking as he hit a couple of keys before sitting back to enjoy the show. _Now Little Crow, show me how far those cracks have spread…_

*

   Yata blinked as he slowly lifted his head from where it had buried against his knees, struggling to bring the room back into focus and trying not to throw up as nausea stirred. He was well aware that wasn’t a good sign at this stage, but it was becoming harder and harder to care about that, even his mantra that he was HOMRA had fallen silent in the back of his head. Everything was falling apart…his body…his belief…his red…He wasn’t even sure that there was enough of himself to be rescued anymore, even if they did come from him, and he felt his eyes beginning to burn once more. _Useless. Weak…Yukari was right, I’m not HOMRA’s vanguard anymore. I haven’t been for a long time. I was just too stupid to see it._

   A choked sob welled up at that thought, and he winced as it shook his body, feeling an insane urge to laugh as he realised that he wasn’t even able to wallow in his own misery anymore _. Pathetic_ …He was so lost in his own whirling thoughts that it took him a moment to remember the faint noise that had drawn his attention a moment ago, and it was only when it was repeated that he turned his attention to the rest of the room, fear blossoming at the thought of having to face his captors. Yukari’s threat that he still had more lessons to learn echoing in his mind, and he tensed, well aware that as he was there was no way he could fight back. He wasn’t even sure that he could handle anything else without shattering altogether.

   With those thoughts whirling in his mind, it took him far longer than it should have to realise that the door was slowly opening in front of him. However, once he had, his fear increased exponentially as he recalled what had happened the last time he’d tried to leave, and he drew even further back into his corner, waiting for someone to appear. However, as the minutes passed the door remained open, and yet no one had appeared.

“What…?” He whispered as he stared at the door, slowly reaching up to rub a hand across his eyes, fairly sure that he must be seeing things. _I must be worse than I thought_ …And yet the image didn’t seem to shift in the slightest and slowly it began to dawn on him that the door was really open. Yet that thought didn’t fill him with the same hope that it had the other day, even though this time there didn’t seem to be anyone there ready to attack him _._

_It’s open, so why aren’t I moving? This is a chance, so why…why…?_

   It took him a moment to realise that his cheeks were damp, his entire body trembling as he tried to make it do something. _If they’re not looking for me, I have to take this chance._ He tried to convince himself, and yet the words just reminded him of the fact that they might have already given up on him, and he bowed his head as that thought washed over him yet again. As he shrank in on himself, his body throbbing as it reminded him of what had happened last time he let out a bitter laugh. He hadn’t stood a chance back then, and he was going to try again with his body like this? As the weight of that settled over him, he leant back against the wall, raising his head just enough to stare at the door, the fight draining out of him as he gazed blankly at the corridor beyond his prison.

_What’s the point…?_

*

“Impressive…”

“He’s not quite there yet,” Yukari admitted with a smirk that told Nagare that he was quite happy with that fact. However, the smirk faded slightly to be replaced by a look of utter certainty as he raised his head to meet Nagare’s gaze. “But our game will have concluded by the time we go for the slates.”

“Good,” Nagare nodded as he lent back in his chair, his gaze lingering on the tablet for another moment, his lips curling up into a small smile at last. “I look forward to seeing how this will play out.”

“It will be an interesting sight,” Yukari agreed as he turned his attention back to the mirror, although now his mind was more focused on the next step in his game.

_Little Crow, are you ready to show me that face again?_

****

  Fushimi grumbled under his breath as he dragged back towards consciousness, swatting irritably at the hand he could feel on his shoulder even as he tried to bury his head back into the pillow of his arms. _Wait_ _what?_ Blinking he sleepily raised his head, wincing as his body protested the movement more than it should have done, and he realised why a moment later as he realised that he’d managed to fall asleep slumped over his desk.

“Fushimi?! Fushimi!” The worried voice drew his attention back to the fact that someone was still holding his shoulder, and swiping at his eyes to clear the sleep from them he looked up, startled to find Awashima leaning over him with a worried expression. At once he jerked away from her, unsure of whether he was more unsettled that he’d fallen asleep in his office, or the fact that she had been the one to come and find him. _What time is it_? He thought with alarm as he glanced towards the window, realising that it was far too bright and cursing at the realisation that he had managed to sleep the night away. His mind was getting back into gear, and he turned back to the computers, his expression darkening as he stared at the paused video on the screen. _So it wasn’t a dream_ … “Fushimi?”

“What?” He snapped before he could stop himself, only to bite his tongue as he realised that her expression hadn’t shifted in the slightest. She was still studying him with worried eyes, and he found himself unable to hold her gaze. _Don’t look at me like that, Misaki is the one that deserves your worry, or JUNGLE as we have no idea what they’re going to do next._ “Sorry…” He muttered, and she sighed softly before finally moving to lean against the desk next to him, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at the computer for a moment before turning her attention back to him.

“When was the last time you had a proper night’s sleep?” She asked softly, and Fushimi grimaced at the question, knowing that he must look like hell for her to be asking that. Before he could come up with a response, her gaze shifted to the bin beside him, her expression turning stern before she added grimly. “Or a proper meal for that matter.”

“I don’t know,” Fushimi admitted after a moment. He’d contemplated lying to her for a moment, but he had to admit that after Munakata she was the best at reading him, and he was well aware that he wasn’t at his best at the moment. Sleep had eluded him for the most part since Misaki had been taken, and even when he did sleep it was broken by nightmares, it was why he was surprised that he’d managed to sleep relatively peacefully last night especially after receiving that video. It was the realisation that he must be nearing his limit that made him reply honestly, even though he knew that she wasn’t going to let him hear the end of it.

“Go home.”

“No,” he replied simply, unsurprised with the order, and this time he raised his head to meet her gaze as he heard her exasperated noise. “I have to work. I have to find…”

“Killing yourself isn’t going to help anyone!” Awashima cut across him, and he blinked in surprise at the strength behind the response, and he found himself unable to voice the protest that was on the end on his tongue as her gaze softened. “Go home, get something to eat and then rest for a few hours at least.” _A few hours? Didn’t she realise how close to the edge Misaki was?_ They’d all been clinging to the fact that the vanguard’s faith in HOMRA and Anna was untouchable, but that video had blown a hole straight through the middle of that belief. Even now Yukari could be pushing Misaki to the breaking point. _I don’t want him to break. Misaki can’t break._

“Misaki might not have a few hours…he’s…” _He’s falling apart…_

“I know,” Awashima said softly, turning her gaze back to the computer screen, and he caught the dangerous glint that appeared in her eyes for a moment although her voice never changed. “Kusanagi sent me the video when I asked.”

“Then…”

“But that doesn’t change the fact that you need to take care of yourself,” Awashima snapped, the gentleness she had been showing so far disappearing in an instance, and Fushimi winced as her aura flared for a moment, pressing in on him. It was easy to forget at times just how powerful she was at times, and his eyes narrowed as it pressed in tighter for a moment, before she closed her eyes and reigned it in once more. “I understand why you're worried, but if you continue like this, you won’t be able to help Yata Misaki when it really matters.”

“I…”

“Rest for a bit,” her voice had regained its previous softness, and Fushimi felt himself faltering as her previous words registered. Deep down he knew that she was right, even Anna and Kusanagi had been trying to get him to rest more, but still, the thought of abandoning his work, even for a short period of time made him uncomfortable. Awashima must’ve sensed that because she offered him a small smile before gesturing at the computer. “I’ll keep searching for the source of the video unless we’re called out, and I’ll inform Kusanagi that you won’t be there until later today.”

“But…” Fushimi couldn’t bring himself to finish his protest, defeat pressing in on him as he realised that he really couldn’t argue against that. Still, it was with gritted teeth and a bowed head that he finally nodded his agreement. “Fine…” Slowly he got to his feet, suddenly incredibly aware of the exhaustion dogging his body and the sting from his injured hand and arm, and he almost wanted to growl at her, well aware that it was only because she’d forced him to face his condition that he was feeling it so badly. Still, as he headed slowly for the door, he halted for a moment. “Thank you.” Glancing back, he caught the half smile playing on her lips, and with a click of his tongue, he practically fled out of the door, missing the small chuckle that followed his retreat.

_Please don’t let me regret this…_

*

“That was Seri-chan, apparently she’s managed to convince Fushimi to go home and rest,” Kusanagi reported as he closed his phone and slipped it back into his pocket, turning to look at Anna and Kamamoto who’d looked up hopefully from their work the moment the phone had rung. For a moment disappointment was evident in both of their faces, as every time the phone rang they hoped that it would be news that they could use. After a moment Anna’s expression cleared somewhat, and she almost managed a smile as she glanced to the table that Fushimi had claimed as his own.

“Good,” she murmured, sternly quashing the fear that had flared up at the thought of losing part of their search team, knowing that Saruhiko needed the rest and that he would probably come back much sooner than Awashima expected. Her gaze darted to the wall of photos for a moment, and her smile faded somewhat as she added softly. “Misaki would never forgive us if Saru destroys himself while searching for him.” No matter how often they had fought, or how often he’d vowed that he was going to kill Fushimi for leaving, she knew that he would never have been able to go through with it. Even before the developments after the Tower, she had always known that they could never fully destroy one another.

“That’s true,” Kusanagi admitted with a sigh as he followed her gaze for a moment. _Yata…_ Slowly he shifted his gaze back to Anna, already knowing that such arguments wouldn’t work on her and Kamamoto as he had tried to get both of them to rest since they’d received the video without success and he couldn’t hide his concern when Anna turned to look at him with a knowing expression.

“I’m fine,” she said softly, and he found himself sharing a disbelieving look with Kamamoto before he took a deep breath, opening his mouth with the intention of pointing out all the reasons why that wasn’t true, but she cut him off with a small smile. “The video was a shock,” she admitted softly, unable to stop her aura flaring briefly, although it was swiftly brought back under control before she caused any damage. Instead, she turned to stare at Fushimi’s computer for a moment. “I never thought that Misaki could lose hope in us, and I don’t want to imagine what they’ve done to get him to that stage.”

“Anna…”

“But,” she cut him off softly, and this time when she turned back to meet his gaze, her eyes were clearer than they had been for a while. “That video showed us that Misaki is still alive. That means we’re not too late. As long as he’s alive, we can rescue him. We can bring him home, and undo whatever damage that man has done to him.” There was a slight waver in her voice when she spoke of what might have been done to him, but there was nothing but determination in her expression, and despite himself, Kusanagi felt a small smile creep onto his face.

_Anna,_ _you never cease to surprise me…_

****

_It felt as though he was being shredded on the inside as he stared up at Saruhiko’s smirking face. Pain, confusion and anger warring for control as he realised that the younger teen was serious about what he was saying. About leaving HOMRA, and about leaving him. Blinking back tears he instead focused on his anger, and he was about to lash out when he caught a glimpse of Saru’s tattoo, the same tattoo on his chest. The mark that told him that he had somewhere to belong. Biting back his previous angry words he instead reached out to press his hand against the mark, eyes narrowed as he stared up at his best friend, desperately hoping that his words would get through to the idiot. Terrified that he might be about to lose him._

**_“Did you forget that this mark is a symbol of our pride?! You have this engraved on your chest so why would you…?”_ **

**_“’Pride.’ You say?”_** _Fushimi demanded, and there was a glint in his eyes that scared Yata, and he couldn’t stop himself from pulling back slightly. This wasn’t his Saru…A cold feeling settled over him as he watched Fushimi reach up and drag burning fingers across the tattoo, nausea rising as he caught the smell of burnt flesh, and yet the younger’s expression never shifted away from the dark smirk he was sending towards him. Saru…unconsciously he lifted his hand to check that his own mark was untouched, unable to tear his gaze away from the other teen._ “ ** _There goes your pride, Misaki! You asked why I betrayed you? Because it’s stupid. We have special powers, but all we do is play punks and gangsters. I’m sick to the core of HOMRA.”_**

 ** _“Fushimi_** **,”** He managed to growl, anger letting him find his voice again even though it felt he was falling apart faster than ever. Why? Why are you doing this? Anger was easier, and he let his aura play around his body as he glared at the other teen, clenching his hands in readiness. “ ** _Mr Mikoto took you in odd the street. How dare you disrespect HOMRA?!”_**

 ** _“That’s right Misaki,”_** _Fushimi chuckled, the sound setting Yata even further on edge. How long have you been like this? When did you change? His attention snapped back to Fushimi, as the younger teen continued, his words and tone tearing fresh wounds into his heart. **“So instead of just laughing like a fool, watch what I’m going to become.”**_

**“Fucking Traitor,”** _Yata growled furiously, taking a threatening step forward, even though on the inside he was howling. Idiot! I’ve always been watching you, so why did you have to go this far? But he was too far gone in his anger now to temper his words, all he wanted now was to hurt the other teen like he’d been hurt. “ **I’ll kill you…** What **?”**_

_He cut himself off as Fushimi’s image seemed to shimmer in front of him, backing away as it morphed until he found himself staring wide-eyed into his own eyes. What the hell? He was backing away, panic rising in his chest when his gaze noticed that the other-Misaki was barechested, and there for everyone to see was a ruined HOMRA mark. At once he froze…_

_“Can you betray people who’ve already betrayed you?” The other him asked, sounding unbearably reasonable considering the words coming from his mouth, and Yata felt a chill settling over him, even as understanding began to dawn, and he closed his eyes as he struggled to find his voice, hating that even now his words were weaker than he intended._

_“They haven’t…”_

_“Then why have you already accepted another colour?” His eyes flew open at the surprisingly gentle question, and he didn’t know what to make of the understanding expression on his counterpart’s expression, or the sad smile that tugged at the other’s lips. Another colour? He frowned in confusion, what was he on about? There was no way he would ever accept another colour. He was HOMRA. He was a red. He wasn’t like Fushimi, he was loyal to his clan…to his red…wasn’t he? Somehow he couldn’t seem to summon up his usual level of certainty, and he couldn’t keep the waver out of his voice as he tried to reply._

_“I haven’t…”_

_“Really?” His counterpart asked with a frown. “That’s not what it looks like from here, take a look at yourself Misaki.” He bristled at the use of his first name, especially as it had been drawled in a very similar way to how a certain Monkey used to say it, and yet he couldn’t stop himself from glancing down at himself. His aura that he’d been so sure was red when he was threatening Saruhiko was a deep green, only the slight threads of red that he could see in its depths telling him that his original colour still remained._

_“What the…?"_

    Yata jerked awake with a sharp cry, which intensified as the sudden movement sent waves of pain crashing through his body and it took him a long moment to notice the green sparks filling the air around him. As soon as he had, he shot backwards, completely forgetting the pain as he tried to escape _. No. I never accepted this colour. I didn’t…I didn’t…_ Yet whether it was because of the dream, or whether he was becoming more accustomed to the secondary colour that had taken root in his body, this time he was able to feel it’s connection to him. _To his green…?_

“No…” He whispered, shaking his head frantically from side to side, and yet the more distressed he became, the more the green filling the air around him intensified. _It’s acting like my red…stop it…stop it…I don’t want you_. Desperately he tried to cut it off, and yet despite his new awareness of the connection between them, it refused to heed his commands, and he closed his eyes as instead it only continued to grow in strength and brightness. _Why?_ He felt himself splintering even further, and with a low whimper he curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around himself as he tried to shield himself. _Go Away. GO AWAY!_ Squeezing his eyes shut, and not noticing the tears that had slipped free he focused on making himself as small as possible, wishing that the entire world would just disappear, or that he could disappear from it.

_I’ve had enough…_

*

   Yata couldn’t remember falling asleep again, and from the heaviness in his body, he wasn’t entirely sure that he had, or whether his body was finally giving out on him. _Not that it matters anymore, as long as I don’t have to see that green again…_ His eyes were growing heavy again, and he let his head settle back against the pillow, for once quite happy to surrender to the inevitable. _I’m sorry_. Just as his eyes were drifting shut again he became aware of a gentle hand carding through his hair, and without thinking, he leant into the touch, a little trickle of awareness coming back to him. _How long had it been since he’d felt a touch like this?_ The gentleness felt foreign after the last few weeks, and yet at the same time it brought back a familiar feeling of comfort, and he blinked. The last time he had felt like this had been back at the bar when Fushimi was trying to comfort him.

“Saru…?” He breathed, hope welling up his chest as he slowly forced himself to lift his head. _Had it all been a dream? No a nightmare..?_

“Little Crow,” a familiar voice replied before he’d even managed to clear his vision, and at once the spark of hope withered and died and he could feel his eyes stinging even as he forced himself to lift his head and meet Yukari’s gaze. The sympathetic expression on the older man’s face confusing him, and he tried to pull back as he realised that Yukari’s hand was still running through his hair, but he found himself lacking the strength to do even that much, and he closed his eyes in defeat. “I thought I told you that clinging to such foolish hopes is only going to hurt you in the long run?”

“I…”

“It seems as though you need more proof,” Yukari cut across him with a sigh, and Yata found himself tensing. Proof? The thought that the others might have stopped looking for him had got under his skin already, but he had managed to cling to a small bit of his faith in HOMRA and Saru despite that, the thought that even that was going to be taken from him made him tremble. If Yukari noticed the way, he had begun to shake he didn’t show it, no sign of his usual smirk to be seen as he added softly. “I had thought to spare you the pain of seeing the truth, but watching you act like this is too painful.”

“What do you mean?”

“Here,” Yukari replied, and Yata slowly opened his eyes to see the older man holding out a tablet, and he stared at it warily. _What the hell is he playing at?_ Suspicions were forming at the back of his mind, but it was difficult to gather them into anything coherent, and he found himself unable to do anything but stare at it. Not daring to reach out and take it, sensing that if he did, something irreparable would be broken. “There’s something on there that you should watch,” Yukari continued calmly, studying the vanguard for a moment before laying it next to Yata’s head. “It’s up to you of course…” With something approaching a smile he finally removed his hand and rose to his feet, and the vanguard blinked in surprise as he watched him head towards the door, and once again he found himself speaking without thinking.

“Where are you going?”

“You’ve proven incapable of tending your own wounds,” Yukari commented, sounding a little more like himself and Yata found that oddly comforting, even as he bristled at the implication. Although given the fact that he could barely move at the moment he didn’t even attempt to deny it. _I’m useless…_ A familiar bitterness welled up, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away when Yukari glanced back for a moment. “I will be back with supplies. I suggest that you think seriously about watching that video.”

   He stared after the older man, barely noting the fact that Yukari hadn’t bothered to seal the door behind him before slowly turning his attention to the tablet sat on the bed next to him. _Proof? There shouldn’t be any proof, because they wouldn’t abandon me…would they?_ There had been no hint of uncertainty in Yukari’s voice as he’d said it, and even the small voice that had been telling him not to listen to the Green since he’d first woken and sorted his memories out seemed faded as he tried to convince himself that it was a lie. _But it’s been so long, what if they have..?_ Slowly. Reluctantly, he found himself reaching out for the tablet with trembling fingers, faltering for a moment as they brushed against it before finally he gripped it and lifted it so that it was resting against his chest.

“It’s a lie…” He whispered, but still, he found himself staring at the screen, realising that there was a video file already open and ready to view. _How helpful_. he thought as he stared at with wide eyes before slowly pushing it away, aware that he was being a coward, but unable to shake the fear that if he watched it, something else would break. Determined not to let that happen he set it back on the bed beside him, before slowly rolling over with a low hiss of pain, squeezing his eyes shut in the hopes that he could sink into the darkness before anything else happened.

   Yet the darkness that had seemed so close only a few minutes before refused to return, and after several minutes he found his eyes opening once more as he stared blankly at the wall. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t tear his thoughts away from the tablet lying so innocently behind him. _I don’t want to look,_ even as he told himself that, he found himself rolling over once more and staring at it with wide eyes. _I don’t want to look at it_. Slowly his trembling hands grasped it once more, and letting out a defeated sigh, aware that he was playing directly into Yukari’s hands he finally reached out and pressed the play button. It took a moment for the video to focus, and even when it did it continue to move, indicating that whoever held the camera was struggling to get the perfect angle, and for a moment Yata’s breath caught in his chest. It felt too much like watching the footage of what had happened to Totsuka, and his finger was hovering over the pause button when the image came into focus, and he froze as he found himself staring at Kamamoto.

_The burly blond was charging into a group of JUNGLE members, looking fiercer than he ever had before, his red lighting up the whole area around him. It was only when he caught sight of the others chasing after Kamamoto that he realised the source of the hollow feeling in his chest. Kamamoto was acting as the vanguard in this attack, a role that he had always actively avoided before, even on the rare occasions where Yata himself had been too injured to take part in a fight. Yet now he looked perfectly comfortable in that position, and Yata felt something beginning to shatter as he watched his friend shouting commands to Dewa and the others, everyone falling in line without any of the ribbing or sarcasm that they showed Yata when he tried to do the same._

   Still, as he watched his clan rapidly beating the Greens into submission, he clung desperately to the hope that this was the full extent of the video. If it was just Kamamoto taking the role of the vanguard that Yukari wanted to show him, then he could survive it. It hurt to see, but even in his current state, he knew that his clan needed someone to lead the charge and that Anna needed a protector _. One that can actually protect h_ er, his mind added unhelpfully and he had to close his eyes for a moment, trying to squash that thought before it could take hold. They didn’t remain shut for long, as he found himself turning back to the video.

   SCEPTER 4 had arrived on the scene, and there was a dull spike of disappointment when he realised that Saru wasn’t with them. However, that thought was discarded as he realised that the defeated JUNGLE members were being handed over to the Blues without the slightest attempt on the behalf of HOMRA to question them, and he felt his mouth dropping open. _Surely they were going to ask something?_ After all, they should already know from past experience that they wouldn’t get another chance to question them once they ended up in the SCEPTER 4 cells _. Why? Why aren’t you asking them something? Anything?_

“ _Are you sure we can just take them?” His attention shot back to the screen as he heard someone asking the same questions that were screaming through his head, and he blinked as he realised that it was one of the Blues that had asked._

_“No, you can have them,” Kamamoto’s voice was grainy because of the video, but it was clear enough for him to make out the sheer disdain in his friend’s voice. A tone that he had never heard from the jovial man. Just how much has changed while I’ve been here? “We have no need for them anymore.”_

_“Really?” The Blue…was it, Domayoji?...asked with a slightly confused expression, and Yata wanted to laugh as he realised that Blue was asking all the questions that he desperately wanted to be able to ask. “I thought you were looking for your vanguard?” All traces of humour disappeared at that question, and he felt himself teetering on the edge as he stared at Kamamoto waiting for his response. At this stage he would be happy with anything, he just wanted…no needed a sign that Yukari had been long, that they hadn’t yet given up on him. Please…Please…_

_He was so focused on his silent pleading that he missed the way that Kamamoto’s expression had darkened, or the deadly glare his friend shot towards the cowed greens. He missed all the signs that Kamamoto was giving off that showed he desperately wanted to tear the answers they were seeking from them. Instead, the only thing that penetrated the haze was the fact that after a moment Kamamoto turned away without a word, not giving any reply to the question…_

   The tablet fell from suddenly nerveless fingers; as silent tears began to trickle down his cheeks. Green sparks began to flash across his skin once more, but this time he made no effort to flinch away, hazel eyes dulling as he stared at the fallen tablet and slowly the sparks died away as well as he felt something splintering in his chest.

_They’ve really given up…_

“I tried to warn you,” Yukari ‘s voice rang out, but Yata couldn’t even bring himself to look at the older man, the sympathy he could hear in the other’s voice only adding to the crushing weight on his chest. Everything hurt. Everything was breaking, and yet at the same time, he couldn’t bring himself to regret giving in to the temptation to look. _Now I know…_ It hurt. It hurt more than he could bear, and yet at the same time there was an odd sense of relief, the uncertainty of the last few days now answered. There was a small voice at the back of his mind that was trying to get his attention, trying to tell him not to lose hope just yet, reminding him that Yukari was the enemy, but it was easily drowned out as his mind dredged up his dream from earlier.

_“Can you betray people who’ve already betrayed you?”_

_No_ …he replied silently, and everything around him shattered.

*

   Yukari finally let loose the smirk he’d been holding back as he stepped away from the bed, studying the still form in the centre with curious eyes. The vanguard had lapsed into a state similar to the one he’d been in after his defeat at Sukuna’s hands, and he had been utterly unresponsive as his wounds were tended to, but Yukari knew that even now he wasn’t completely broken. He still needed one last push, as deep inside a kernel of his red continued to burn, and the game would not be complete until even that red was consumed by their green. _Little Crow, this was never a game that you could win, but you’ve fought well. And for that, I will have you shine the brightest in the next stage of our main game_. It had been a calculated risk showing the teen that video, as there had been the chance that he would spot the signs that HOMRA were far from giving up on him. But he had gambled on the fact that his earlier words were still haunting the teen, along with the ‘worry’ he had shown, and the vanguard’s mind had done the rest.

   Satisfied that he would survive for now, and realising that there was nothing to be gained by staying by the boy’s side he retrieved the tablet and headed for the door, not bothering to close or lock the door behind him. _Why cage a crow that’s forgotten how to fly away?_ He glanced back one last time, before heading off in search of the others, hoping that they would be able to provide him with some entertainment until it was time to take the next step.

  He had barely made it halfway back to the main room when he felt the spike in his King’s powers, eyes drooping slightly as he felt it wash over him. Even though it was dimmed in his current form, it was still impressive, and as he felt it spreading around them, stretching its tendrils beyond the walls of their base his smirk grew.

“Oh, it seems like Nagare’s games have begun as well,”


	15. Chapter 15

   Anna sighed as she made her way down the road. It had taken far more persuasion than she’d expected to convince them to let her out on her own, although she knew that she shouldn’t really be that surprised, not with everything that had happened, and was happening around them. Still, it rankled a little that in the end, she had needed to let her aura flare, reminding them of her power before they had agreed to give her some space, and she knew that it would only be so long before they came and looked for her. Her hands clenched at her sides as she glanced back, just able to make out the sign for the bar, still hanging somewhat askew from the battle.

  _Stop trying to protect me. I need to protect you, all of you, even if it’s just once. Even if I have to destroy this red to do it. Just let me bring Misaki home, and keep you all safe. That’s all I want…_

   Resolutely she turned away and sped up, determined to make the most of her freedom as she headed for the small park where she had spent so many afternoons with Totsuka and Misaki. Even now that the former was gone, and Misaki was…Even now it was something of a sanctuary, something that she felt was uniquely hers as Mikoto had never spent time there, always refusing to enter even if he’d walked her there and a small part of her wondered if he had known that she would need a place of her own in times of trouble. It still hurt to think of Mikoto and she forced her thoughts away from him as she finally reached the park gate, glancing back briefly to make sure that they hadn’t given in to the temptation to chase her, and she was relieved to find no sign of them as she really didn’t want to argue with them.

   As she slipped inside, she instead turned her thoughts towards the current situation. JUNGLE was still maintaining its high levels of activities, stretching the other two clans to their limits according to Fushimi’s report when he’d appeared the previous afternoon. It had been clear that the brief rest had done him a world of good, and there had been fresh determination in his eyes as he’d convinced her to allow HOMRA to assist the other clans for a couple of days. At first, she had refused, believing that his faith that they could bring Misaki home was failing despite the glint in his eyes. However, she hadn’t been able to argue when he’d pointed out that their current methods were proving completely ineffective. But what had eventually swayed her, had been when he pointed out that the J-Ranks that they needed to draw out weren’t going to emerge unless they quashed lower ranks to a point where it was necessary for Yukari and the others to face them.

   In all honesty, she wasn’t sure that was the best way to approach it, highly aware of the possibility that Misaki could be punished for their actions, but at the same time, they had to do something. If they faltered now, his already dwindling hope might vanish altogether. _“Anna… Saru…You’re not coming are you?”_ She hadn’t been able to get that question out of her mind since watching the video, and she knew that he was already teetering on the edge, and she couldn’t let him fall from that edge as she knew that they would lose him completely if that happened, and she couldn’t lose another member of her family. However, even that thought didn’t erase her fear that if they forced the Greens into a corner, they might press onwards with their real plans. And she knew that could make the situation even worse, both for them and the vanguard. _But…Misaki, even if we force their plan into motion, as long as it leads us to you, it will be worth it. So please just wait for me…_

   Sighing she headed for the tree in the far corner that they had claimed for their own a long time ago, her eyes stinging slightly as she realised that neither she nor Misaki had been back to that spot since Tatara had died. Still, she didn’t allow herself to hesitate, despite the dull ache that thought had created, knowing that for now, she had to focus on the clansmen she could still protect. Yet as she settled herself onto the grass beneath the tree, leaning back so that she was resting against the trunk, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting to the last time the three of them had come here, only a few days before Totsuka had been killed.

  _Yata had been caught up in yet another fight with Fushimi that morning, and he was hiding out to avoid Kusanagi’s wrath, as the bartender had been less than impressed when he’d turned up covered in fresh bruises and a nasty cut on his arm. However, his usual defiance had been missing, and Anna and Tatara had insisted on dragging him down to the park in the hopes of finding out what was bothering him. Although so far he had been doing everything in his power to avoid their questions and gazes, even going so far as to climb up into the tree despite the pain it obviously caused him._

_“Why do you have to fight him?” Anna asked with a frown as she glanced up at Yata who was sprawled on the branch above them. While she had to admit that it was interesting to watch their fights, especially since Tatara had pointed out how much it looked like dancing, she didn’t like seeing Misaki and Saru fighting as she knew that there was real anger and pain in their confrontations. “Maybe if the two of you talked…”_

_“Not going to happen,” Yata muttered as he finally glanced down at her, and for a moment she was silenced by the longing expression on his face, and from the way Tatara’s fingers had drifted to a halt, he was surprised as well. Tilting her head, she glanced up at the blonde, blinking at the worried expression that had replaced his usual smile before turning her attention back to Misaki. “He doesn’t want to talk to me,” Yata added softly, holding her gaze for a moment longer before rolling over so that he was staring at the sky, although she had a feeling that he didn't see it._

“Misaki…”

_“Leave it be,” Tatara shushed her softly, and she shifted her gaze back to him, relieved to see the soft smile that was playing on his lips once more as it reassured her that things would be alright, far more than simple words ever could. He held her gaze for a moment before tilting his head up towards the sulking vanguard, and his voice was barely above a whisper as he added. “They’ll sort it out one day, they’re not meant to stay apart.”_

_“Really?”_

_“Of course,” He replied with a brilliant smile, and she felt her own lips twitching up. As long as he could smile like that about it, then she could believe his words._

   _Tatara they started coming back together, and when we bring Misaki back, I'm sure they're going to get closer._ She added silently as the memory faded, a ghost of a smile on her lips as she glanced up at the sky, wondering if he was still watching over them and cheering them on. Her thoughts were derailed by the sound of fluttering wings above her, and crimson eyes narrowed, her smile disappearing as she caught the power now permeating through the air. _They're making their move already?_ Struggling to hide her surprise she let her own aura out to play, turning slowly and glancing up into the tree she was sat under, unsurprised to find herself staring into the glowing green eyes of the parrot she had encountered back at the Tower. _So it is you..._ Taking a deep breath, she offered the bird a terse smile, somewhat surprised by how calm her voice came out as she greeted it, or rather it’s King.

“Nagare Hisui…”

****

   Fushimi sighed as he stared blankly at the screen, blocking out the worried discussion going on behind him. He had managed to sound fairly confident when convincing Anna that HOMRA needed to work with the other clans to draw out the JUNGLE members they needed, but in all honesty, his own doubts were growing. While the rest had undoubtedly helped, even if he had no intention of admitting that aloud any time soon, it hadn’t helped him to shake the memory of the last video, or Misaki’s broken question and he had woken to a growing feeling that they already out of time. _Misaki, are you still waiting for us_? Absently he scratched at the scar on his chest, remembering how furious the vanguard had been when he’d destroyed it in front of him. He’d never been able to imagine a time where Misaki’s faith in that mark, in his clan, would waver, or that he would fear that change.

   How many times had he challenged Misaki over his faith in HOMRA and his pride, unable to understand why the smaller teen was so adamant in holding onto the thing that had been so easy for him to throw aside. There had been a time when he had wanted to see that faith shaken if not broken. _How stupid was I?_ Now that he was actually faced with that possibility he wanted nothing more than to prevent it, and of course, it would happen when he was powerless to intervene. _Misaki, somehow I’ll protect your red_ …He promised, feeling the weight of it settling on top of the other promises, both broken and fracturing and his expression tightened. _Misaki…_

“Kusanagi-san…” Kamamoto’s worried voice drew him out of his rapidly darkening thoughts, and Fushimi blinked as he glanced across at the Reds, sighing as he realised that they were still arguing about the fact that Anna had gone off on her own. Admittedly he wasn’t sure it was the best idea, especially with the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he had seen the expression in her eyes before she left and realised that she desperately needed some time alone. “Are you sure we shouldn’t go after her.”

“Leave her be,” Fushimi spoke up softly before the older man could reply, struggling to keep his expression neutral when they both turned to him in surprise. “She has a lot on her mind at the moment, and she probably wants to make sense of it without us dogging her every step.”

“But…” Kamamoto started to protest, only to be cut off by the sound of Kusanagi’s phone ringing, and with an exasperated sigh, the older man went to answer.

“Kusanagi speaking,” Kusanagi said quietly as he pressed the phone to his ear, motioning for the other two to be quiet as his brow furrowed at whatever the other person was saying. Fushimi sighed and turned his attention back to the computer, assuming that it was one of the other clansman reporting in or something, and he nearly shot out of his chair in alarm when Kusanagi slammed a fist down against the bar a couple of minutes later. “What?!”

   Kamamoto and Fushimi exchanged alarmed looks at the terse question, both of them abandoning their work to focus on the conversation, wishing that they could hear both sides of it as they watched the bartender beginning to pace. The conversation continued for another few minutes, but it was mainly the other person speaking, and they were unable to glean anything useful from the short ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses that Kusanagi was giving,. Although it was easy to tell that he wasn’t happy with what he heard as his aura which was normally under tight control had begun to stir.

“Anna isn’t here right now, but I’ll pass the message on,” Kusanagi replied finally a couple minutes later, sounding a little calmer than he had before as his aura disappeared once more, although there was a grim set to his mouth as he added quietly. “Yes, I’m sure we’ll be there.” Fushimi’s eyes narrowed at that response, well aware that HOMRA’s help with dealing with JUNGLE was still very much unofficial, and yet Kusanagi’s words had sounded almost as though that was changing. _What the hell is going on?_ He knew that while it had been Anna’s decision to keep the Reds independent for the time being, not one of them had disagreed with her, and it seemed unlike Kusanagi to both change his mind and act against his King especially given the current situation.

“What’s going on?” Kamamoto demanded the moment the barkeeper had closed his phone, and Kusanagi sighed as he set it aside.

“JUNGLE are going after the slates. Apparently, they approached Isana Yashiro with an offer for him to join them, and when he refused they made a declaration of war, and he’s called for another meeting.”

“No doubt they were expecting that response,” Fushimi muttered, while it would explain why JUNGLE had worked so hard to bring the Silver King back into play and had been waiting to see what the three clans were going to do. He had no doubt that ultimately they had been preparing for war. SCEPTER 4 had always fought to maintain order, regardless of what King they were going against, so there was no way they would ever bow out without a fight. Even HOMRA with its destructiveness had been largely focused on protecting their territory and the people in it. The Silvers had been the only unknown, but Nagare must’ve known after what had happened at the island, that the Silver King would ultimately choose to side with them? They would be idiots not to be prepared for this, and nothing they’ve done so far has suggested that. He stiffened as another thought occurred to him, there would be no point in approaching his King, especially now that he was in charge of protecting the slates, but if they had approached the first King. “You know…”

“They might approach Anna,” Kusanagi finished for him, before running a hand wearily across his face as he met Fushimi’s gaze. They had known that this was coming. There was no way a clan like JUNGLE were going to be content with continuing with small-scale games. However, that hadn’t been enough to prepare them for the reality of the situation, and he knew that they were far from ready for it as they had been stretching all their resources to the limit to try and find Yata. Still, he knew that there was no way they were going to be allowed to stay out of this. “HOMRA might not be as much of a threat to their plans as the Silver King, and we’re not officially part of the alliance, but…”

“It would tip the odds even more in their favour,” Fushimi scowled at his own words, well aware that the odds were already heavily stacked against them even without this latest development. The uneasy feeling swelling as his thoughts drifted back to the first graphic they had been sent… Misaki’s red being consumed by the green…if they managed to break the vanguard and swing him to their side, then this upcoming confrontation would be the perfect time to reveal him. Or… “And they have the perfect bargaining tool.” Normally he knew that there would be no way to stop HOMRA from fighting, but Anna had already declared that Misaki was more important than anything, and he wasn’t sure that she would be able to resist if Misaki’s freedom and safety were held up for ransom.

“I told you we shouldn’t have her go alone,” Kamamoto muttered as he caught onto what Fushimi was thinking, all the colour draining from his face at the thought of his best friend being used against Anna. Aware that the vanguard would never be able to forgive himself if he endangered her, even if everything was out of his control. “We need to get…” He started rising to his feet and turning to the door, only to trail off as it was flung open and Anna dashed inside. “Anna!”

****

Earlier:

   There was silence for a long moment as they stared at one another, and Anna had an uncomfortable feeling that she was being sized up. Her thoughts straying back to the last time she had faced him in the Tower. She had been weak back then, barely able to contain the new power that had been surging through her and still reeling from the shock of seeing Misaki taken down,  but she was different now. Stronger, even though it still wasn’t enough to protect Misaki, and she straightened, allowing her aura to flare even brighter in the hopes of forcing the other King to make a move.

“Anna Kushina,” it was still somewhat unnerving to hear his voice coming from the parrot, but she managed to keep her expression clear. “You seem to be doing well, even in this form I can feel your strength.”

“What do you want?” Anna asked, refusing to get drawn into exchanging pleasantries, finding it far harder than she had anticipated to keep calm now that she was faced with someone that knew where Misaki was. Unfortunately, she knew that outright demanding to know where he was wouldn’t work. They had been treating everything as a game from the start, which meant that they would force her to play by the rules, even though she had no idea what the rules were. The parrot tilted its head, and she held her breath, wondering what he was going to say next, well aware that Misaki’s safety could rest on her response. _Misaki…_

“Very well,” He replied finally, a faint note of disappointment in his voice, although she had the feeling that he was anything but, and the speed at which he continued only seemed to confirm that feeling. “As it seems like you would prefer to get down to business, I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal?”

“The Silver King has chosen war,” Nagare replied, and her eyes narrowed as she caught the eagerness in his voice _. So that is what you were looking for? War?_ Bizarrely it felt better to have an inkling of their true purpose, even as she was overcome with dread about what that could mean for her clan and more importantly for Misaki. And she had to struggle to focus on his next words. “I will be taking the Slates soon, the Silver clan and Blue clan have already chosen their side, but I see no need to fight you.”

“No need?” Anna echoed, her tone turning cold as she straightened, her aura flaring stronger than before as she took a step towards the tree. _How dare you?!!_ The temptation to lash out was nearly overwhelming, and it was only the memory of Kusanagi’s worried expression when he’d asked what she was going to do that stopped her. For a moment she fought against her flames, waiting until they had subsided somewhat, although her tone was just as harsh as before when she continued. “You’ve taken my clansman, do you really think that we would step aside and let you have your way?” She could have moved beyond their actions against her in the days leading up to her ascension, but the moment Yukari’s blade had been turned on Yata, any hope of peace had been lost.

_You hurt my Misaki, and then you took him. I won’t forgive you for that._

“It is because of our guest that I am making this approach,” Nagare replied, and she bristled at his words, her control slipping slightly. _Guest...? We saw the video, we know what you’re doing to him._ Except they didn’t, they had clues, but they had no idea what had been done to weaken his faith that much. They had no idea what he was being forced to endure, while all they could come up with was dead ends, and it was that realisation that stopped her from lashing out verbally. _Misaki_ …She hesitated for a moment, fairly sure that she wasn’t going to like the proposal, but well aware that she needed to hear him out before she could decide and refusing to risk Misaki because of her impatience.

“What do you mean?”

“Join us,” Nagare replied bluntly, and Anna could only gape at him in stunned surprise, unable to believe her ears as he continued. “Or step aside and let us pursue our goals unhindered and I will return your vanguard.”

   Anna tensed, her hands clenching at her sides as she stared at the parrot, her thoughts racing, even as she fought to keep her expression as calm as possible. _Step aside or join them?_ Of all the things he could have said, that had been the last thing she had expected, and she found herself floundering for a moment, wishing that Izumo or Rikio were here with her, even though ultimately the decision would still have rested in her hands. Briefly, she glanced down at her hands. _I’m supposed to protect them, but what am I supposed to do?_ Her automatic response was to refuse, no matter how much chaos HOMRA had caused in the past, they were nothing like JUNGLE, and she wanted no part in the destruction they seemed willing to unleash. However, she couldn’t force the refusal out. _Misaki_ …The recent video weighing on her mind, well aware that his faith was barely holding on by a thread, and that turning aside now might be the final blow.

“I…” She trailed off, feeling her eyes beginning to sting as the weight of the decision facing her registered. If she said no, then goodness knows what might happen to Misaki, right now they were the only ones that could help him…but…if she agreed, then the price could be far more. As much as she wanted him home, could she truly justify endangering not only the rest of her clan but the entire city? The entire country? While she trusted in the strength of the other Kings, she knew that they were as unprepared for this war as she was, and then there was Reisi’s sword. If she stepped back, would she be forced to watch it fall? She glanced down at her hands once more, willing a little of her red to the surface and watching it play over her skin. _I have the power to fight, but can I? Should I?_

“What is your decision?” Nagare asked once more, and there was a trace of impatience in his voice this time, and she stared at him with slightly damp eyes, wondering whether he was drawing satisfaction from this situation or if was merely another step in his game. _Not that it matters, because I still have to decide…_

 _Mikoto what do I do?_ She asked silently as she stared down at her red, not that he had ever been in this situation. With Tatara at least there had been nothing but revenge to focus on, but now… now one of her family was in danger, and her words had the power to either increase that danger or protect him. However, as she stared at her hands, she realised that deep down she had already made the decision. That she had made it long ago, when she’d declared her faith in Misaki, even after seeing the evidence that his belief was beginning to waver. _I believe in Misaki. I believe that he will hold on for us, no matter what they throw at him_. The old Misaki would not have hesitated she knew, he would have been the first to tell her to fight. To protect HOMRA above one person, regardless of who that person was because they were HOMRA and somehow or another they would find a way to protect everyone.

_Misaki, wait for us. I will find a way to stop them, and bring you home…somehow…_

“No,” She replied finally, closing her eyes for a moment to hold back the tears she could feel forming, refusing to show that kind of weakness in front of Nagare. _Misaki, please forgive me_ … Slowly she took a deep breath, opening her eyes to find that the Parrot was still watching her with a tilted head, clearly waiting for her to say something else and she was hard pushed not to lash out her with flames. “HOMRA will not step aside and let you take the slates, nor will we join your side.”

“How disappointing,” Nagare replied bluntly after a moment, and she tensed at the new menace that had seeped into his voice. “It seems as though you don’t value your clansmen as highly as I was led to believe.”

“Misaki…”

“You’ll see him soon enough.” Before she could get her voice to work around the lump that had formed in her throat the parrot had taken flight, leaving her staring at the branch where it had been, tears finally trickling down her cheeks as the enormity of what had just happened hit her fully and a moment later her knees gave way beneath her.

_Misaki, what have I done?_

**

  Yukari smirked as they caught sight of Anna collapsing to her knees just before Nagare severed the link between himself and Kotosaka. In all honesty, he had been somewhat worried when his King had actually offered to free the vanguard if she met his terms, well aware that HOMRA shared much tighter bonds than they did. However, she had surprised him slightly with her response, although he had been amused to see the determination in her eyes when she had declared that HOMRA was not going to back down, easily able to see that she was still placing all her faith in the vanguard that had protected her back in the tower. _Oh, Little King, you should know better than that…_ His gaze flickered down to the tablet in his own hands, his smirk morphing into a wicked grin as he realised that the vanguard had yet to move from the position he’d been left in. _I hope you will give me a good show, Little Crow._

“Does that mean we’re finally moving forward?” Sukuna demanded eagerly as he leant forward, his console lying abandoned in favour of focusing on Nagare. He had been present for both conversations, and Yukari had been able to see his excitement from the moment he had joined them, and if he was honest, he was looking forward to finally being able to take action, and seeing his own game play itself out on an even grander stage than he had initially anticipated.

“So it would seem,” Nagare replied dryly.

“Are you really that disappointed by their responses?” Yukari asked with a frown, well aware that his King cared very little for what had happened with HOMRA, but it seemed as though the Silver King’s rejection of his proposal had actually effected Nagare more than any of them had expected. Briefly, he glanced across at Iwafune who was stood watching Nagare with slightly narrowed eyes, his can raised midway as though he had halted mid-drink, and the concern in the older man’s gaze worried him. _Are you really going to falter now Nagare-chan?_ He wondered as his attention shifted back to Nagare, eyes narrowing at the thoughtful expression on his King’s face.

“A little,” Nagare admitted after a moment, and Yukari opened his mouth to comment, only to silence himself as Nagare’s lips curled up slightly, and he shrugged as he glanced across at the three of them, studying them for a moment before adding in a more cheerful tone. “However, in the end, it doesn’t change our plans, and I think a direct approach would be more interesting.” Sukuna cheered at that, and both Yukari and Iwafune relaxed before nodding in agreement, anticipation filling the room as they realised their wait was finally coming to an end. “Is everything nearly ready?” Nagare asked, shifting his attention to Yukari and the tablet he was holding. Before he had only been vaguely interested in the outcome of that game, but now he found himself anticipating how HOMRA and more importantly their King would respond when they faced the former-vanguard.

“Of course,” Yukari replied carelessly, before gesturing towards Nagare’s computer display, well aware that his King would have recorded both meetings to review later. “His own King’s words will be the final push I need.”

****

   Anna had remained crumpled on the ground for a good ten minutes after Nagare had left, unable to stop the tears trickling down her face, even as she desperately tried to convince herself that she had made the right decision. _Misaki_ …Nagare’s final promise kept echoing in her thoughts, and a small sob welled up as she realised that she had condemned her own clansman to whatever the Greens had planned, even her earlier faith in her vanguard wavering in the face of that threat. _What have I done?_ It had made sense at the time, and even now when everything felt as though it was falling apart, a part of her knew that nothing had really changed. The threat posed by JUNGLE was bad enough now, the thought of what they might be capable of with the Slates in their grasp was terrifying, and she knew that that situation had to be prevented…

_But at what cost?_

   Eventually, even though the sobs wracking her body showed no signs of stopping, she realised that she needed to move. If he had already approached Yashiro about his plans, then it was likely that the Silvers had already contacted Kusanagi and SCEPTER 4 and if they were to have any hopes of stopping the Greens, then they would have to move quickly. Even though that would mean shifting their focus away from searching for Misaki. Although it sounded like that might not be a problem, and she paled as she tried to imagine what they might be planning to do with the vanguard. _What are they going to do with you?_ Sniffling she tried to push that thought aside as she forced herself to her feet, knowing that if she didn’t then, she wouldn’t be able to do anything,  and she had to act. She had to find a way to keep her promise.

_Misaki…I promise. No matter, I won’t let it end like this._

   Dashing a hand across her eyes to try and clear her vision she took off at a run, desperately struggling to focus solely on getting back to the pub, but finding it impossible to push her thoughts entirely aside. And by the time she reached HOMRA, she was completely out of breath, and her face was stained with tears although at some point they had stopped falling as the hurt turned inwards. Reaching for the door, she hesitated for a moment with her hand on the handle, trying to rein in the emotions still surging beneath the surface, aware that if she didn’t then she might fall to pieces once more and that wasn’t what they needed. _We need a King at the moment. I have to think like a King…I have to protect them…_ Sniffling, and wiping her face one last time she opened the door and stepped inside, coming up short as Kamamoto immediately shouted her name.

“Anna!”

“Anna,” Kusanagi murmured, his expression darkening as he studied her, taking in the drying tear tracks and the broken expression on her face before she managed to mask it. _What the hell happened?_ He stepped closer, wanting to demand answers, wanting to know what could have resulted in the pain shining in her eyes, even as he cursed himself for not listening to Kamamoto’s worries about letting her go off on her own. However, he couldn’t force the questions out in the face of her closed off expression, and with a sigh he forced himself to pass on his news, even though he wanted nothing more than to ease the weight already resting on her shoulders. “The Silvers contacted us, they’re asking for a meeting as it seems JUNGLE is about to make its move.”

“I know,” Anna replied quietly.

“What happened?” He demanded.

“I had a visitor when I was at the park,” Anna replied grimly as she glanced around, her gaze lingering briefly on Fushimi, aware that of all of them he might respond worst to the answer she had given, and for a moment she hesitated, but she knew that they needed to know what had happened. And hat she had decided, even as fresh regret settled over her. _What have I done?_ Biting her lip, she shifted her attention back to Kusanagi, finding it easier to focus on him than the others as she forced herself to continue, her voice trembling slightly. “Nagare Hisui, he offered me Misaki’s freedom in return for HOMRA stepping aside or joining him.”

“What did you say?” Fushimi asked. He had suspected that Nagare would seek her out, although he hadn’t expected it to be so quickly, or for the Green King to make such an offer, and his eyes narrowed in concern. _What are you planning?_ JUNGLE was powerful enough on its own to succeed without reaching out to the other Kings. In a way he could understand them reaching out to the Silver King because of his involvement with the slates, but why Anna? The uneasy feeling grew even stronger as he stared at Anna. _Is this all part of Yukari’s game?_

“I refused…” She replied softly, her head bowed slightly, and suddenly the tearstains on her face made more sense.

“What?”

“What choice did I have?” Anna countered fiercely, feeling fresh tears stinging her eyes but refusing to back down. It hadn’t been a decision that she wanted to make, and she was terrified about how the rest of her clan were going to react. But even with the doubts and fears pressing in on her, the rational side knew that there had been no other choice, and that gave her the strength to lift her head and meet Fushimi’s gaze. “This fight is going to need all of us. And the Misaki I know, the Misaki I believe in would have agreed!”

“But…”

“I’m not giving up on him,” She promised fiercely, cutting across his protest. “We will find a way to stop JUNGLE and bring Misaki home. I won’t let Nagare have his way!”

“That’s not the problem…” Fushimi muttered, although he had to admit that he was relieved to hear that she wasn’t giving up on Misaki, even if he had only entertained that fear for a moment.

“Fushimi?” Kusanagi asked with a frown, sensing that there was more to the Blue’s protests than simple worry that they were giving up on the vanguard.

“If they recorded your conversation, it would be the perfect weapon to use against him,” Fushimi replied heavily, staring at Anna, and he could see the instant that she began to understand what he was getting at. Seeing her pale made him hesitate for a moment, but he knew that they needed to confront the situation head-on, and with a brief glance at the other two he forced himself to continue. “The old Misaki might have understood your decision, in fact, he would have probably pushed you towards it. But as he is now…”

“It will destroy him…” Anna whispered.

_Misaki, what have I done?_


	16. Chapter 16

_It had been too simple._

_While their plan had been good, and their teamwork for better than he’d ever thought possible, the victory had been unexpected, let alone the ease at what they had achieved it. Clicking his tongue, he made his way along the corridor, taking in the damage their battles had caused and wincing at the thought of the paperwork that this was going to cause, and yet even that wasn’t enough to calm the uneasy itch at the back of his neck. Something was wrong. He just had no idea what, and it didn’t seem as though the others had picked up on it yet, at least not from the excited conversations he heard as he passed the mixed groups of blues and reds. Why can’t you feel it?_

_He’d just turned into the main hall, intending on heading back to the surveillance centre in the hopes of being able to find something to explain the uneasy feeling, when he detected motion out of the corner of his eye. Immediately alert as he knew none of their own people was in the area he sprang back, drawing his sword with one hand, while the other reached for one of his knives. However, when he finally lay eyes on the newcomer, he faltered, his sword falling from suddenly nerveless hands and clattering loudly against the floor._

_“Misaki?” He couldn’t even summon up a ghost of his usual tone, relief and worry warring for control as he stared at the vanguard who’d come to a halt a short distance away. Slowly he let his gaze rove over the smaller teen, noting the borrowed clothes and the bandages peeping out from underneath, but most of his attention was drawn to Misaki’s face. The crow was one of the most expressive people he knew, and yet at the moment his pale face was a blank mask, blazing hazel eyes dimmed and empty as he stared at Fushimi, and he felt fear stirring in his stomach, and he couldn’t keep the slight waver from his voice as he asked. “Misaki are you okay?”_

_“Saruhiko?” Yata’s voice was barely audible, and for a moment there was a brief crack in the emotionless mask he was wearing, and Fushimi took a cautious step forward, hoping that maybe he had managed to get through to the smaller teen. However, the flicker disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared, and his hazel eyes hardened as he raised his head to properly stare at Fushimi. “I’ve never been better…” The Blue froze, his earlier unease blossoming into full-blown dread as he watched the smaller teen lift his hands, his mouth dropping open in shock as instead of the once-hated red, green sparks appeared around Yata’s hands, casting an eerie light on his face._

_“What have you done?” Fushimi whispered, flinching as the green sparks grew in number and intensity, hands drifting to where his knives were concealed although he made no move to draw them. “Misaki?! What have you done!”_

_“I chose,” Yata replied without inflection, although there was a hint of pain in his eyes as he glanced down at his hands for a moment, before shifting his attention back to Fushimi as a small, malicious smirk flitted across his lips. “Looks like you weren’t the only traitor.” Kusanagi had always commented that a calm Yata had the potential to be far more dangerous than his usual, hot-headed self, but Fushimi had never really believed it until now, and he drew back half a step._

_“Misaki…”_

_“Pick up your blade,” Yata ordered, gesturing towards the blade lying on the floor, and Fushimi blanched at the command, before urgently shaking his head._

_“No!”_

_“Pick it up,” Yata repeated harshly, green light tearing up the ground between them in warning, and Fushimi swallowed as he realised that the vanguard. No, the former-vanguard, was deadly serious about doing this. “I’ll kill you either way, but I’d at least like you to have a weapon in your hand when I do it.”_

_Slowly. Reluctantly. Fushimi leant down and retrieved his weapon, wishing that he had never given in to the urge to search for the source of his unease, for once loathing the mere thought of trying to fight Misaki. Tightening his fingers around the sword’s hilt, he straightened and stared across at Yata who was completely emotionless once more. In complete contrast to the storm that was raging in his own chest. Can I really lift a blade against him? Can I really fight Misaki? He wasn’t given a chance to decide, the moment he had straightened fully, the smaller teen had sprung into action, and his entire world narrowed down to his own blade and the sea of green that filled his vision…_

   Fushimi jolted awake with a sharp cry, one hand flying up to stave off the blow that had been heading straight for his chest, only to freeze as he realised that there was no green dancing around him, and more importantly no Misaki. Breathing heavily he sat up, realising that he was in one of the guest rooms in HOMRA, vaguely recalling Anna and Kusanagi ordering him to get some rest after he’d dozed off several times downstairs. _A dream, it was just a dream_ …There was sweat trickling down his neck, and as he buried his face in his hands, he realised that he was trembling and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the image of Misaki’s emotionless face and the green dancing around him.

   However, the image refused to fade in the slightest, and he found his eyes stinging painfully as he slowly removed his hands from his face, dropping them back into his lap. It might just have been a dream for the time being, but he had a feeling that it wasn’t going to remain that way for long. It had been two weeks since Nagare had visited Anna, and JUNGLE seemed to have faded completely from sight since then, and he feared what might be happening to Misaki even as the three united clans scrambled for a way to counter the Greens. Deep down he realised that he had already acknowledged what was going to happen, what Misaki might well become, but even if he had acknowledged it, he was far from ready to accept it, and his hands clenched tightly in his lap.

_Misaki, please don’t force me to fight you…_

****

_‘Can you betray people who’ve already betrayed you?’_

    The question had never ceased to haunt his thoughts since the moment Yukari had shown him the video of HOMRA fighting JUNGLE, sinking into his skin and thoughts, haunting his dreams and his waking moments. The only peace he’d had from that question, had been when he’d fallen victim to a fever from the wounds Sukuna had inflicted on him, but it hadn’t been true peace. Instead, he’d found his thoughts haunted by green, and battles still to be fought, and it had only been when he’d started to get better than he’d realised that in all those wild imaginings he hadn’t been fighting for HOMRA…or for himself… but for the green that had danced so easily around his hands. The green that he had used to strike down familiar faces without hesitation, but now that his mind was his own again left him feeling sick to the stomach.

_I’m not a traitor, I’m not…_

   Yet the denials lacked the strength they once had, and there was no tears or fear at the thought that maybe, just maybe he was a traitor, or ready to become one. The shattering that had occurred the day that he’d seen that video had destroyed that part of him, and he wasn’t entirely sure that was a bad thing. His imprisonment had become easier to bear now because there was no desire to escape. The Greens were treating him better as well - his wounds had been cared for, and there was plenty of food and drink for him although he had little appetite. Before he had been trying to hold on long enough for HOMRA to come for him, now there seemed to be little point, and yet still he clung onto life. _Why? What am I holding on to? Am I waiting for him to ask me again to betray HOMRA? Is that why I’m holding on now? Why I'm trying to survive despite everything_?

    It hadn’t escaped his notice that the door was never locked now, and yet he hadn’t tried to leave once since realising it was open. The first week he had barely been able to move from the bed, but now he lacked the will to try. After all, there was nothing for him on the other side. _Guess I finally learnt my place…_

   Sighing Yata rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, before hesitantly lifting his hand up so that he could stare at it _. Can I betray them?_ Beneath the numbness and fractured remnants of his belief in HOMRA and Anna, lingered a tiny spark of something…not quite hope or belief, but not the same darkness that seemed to have swept everything else away. Taking a deep breath, he let his aura flare slightly, this time not flinching in the slightest as green danced across his skin, instead staring at it with narrowed eyes even as his other hand came up to rest against his HOMRA tattoo. At the moment he was in no man’s land, torn between the two colours, but deep down he knew that he wasn’t going to be able to linger there for much longer. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something was changing. Something was about to happen, and he knew that whether he wanted or not he was going to end up in the middle of it.

_But what do I want? And does it even matter…?_

   Slowly he clenched his hand into a fist, the green sparks fading away instantly and he closed his eyes, wishing that he could see his red even for a moment. _I’ll always be Red. I’ll always be HOMRA…_ How many times had he said those words to Fushimi? He wondered what the Blue would make of him now, of the decision he was facing. _All those times I taunted you for being a traitor, and now look at me_. A harsh chuckle welled up at the back of his throat, and he was about to roll over and face the wall, hoping to blank out his thoughts for a while at least a couple of minutes when he heard movement at the door. At once he wiped everything off his face and pushed himself upright, JUNGLE might be treating him better now, but he wasn’t naïve enough to think that, that couldn’t change at the drop of the hat.

   He was unsurprised when it was Yukari that stepped into the room. He hadn’t seen anyone else since his fight with Sukuna, and he wasn’t sure whether that was a blessing or not. A chill swept through him when the older man’s eyes landed on him, there was hunger and anticipation in that gaze and the sense that something was about to happen only grew as he met it. His blank expression wavering slightly as he spotted the tablet in the other’s hands, and it took a couple of minutes for him to drag his attention back to Yukari. By which time the other man’s gaze had shifted to one of pity, and he couldn’t keep the trepidation out of his heart as he turned so that he was sat on the edge of the bed.

“Little Crow,” Yukari’s voice was gentle, and Yata couldn’t help but flash back to how the older man had sounded the last time he had come to destroy the hope that he had been clinging to. _Why are you here now? I have nothing left, there’s nothing more for you to take…_ Still, he didn’t voice those thoughts, after all, what was the point? He had no hope left to defend, and he couldn’t see the point in starting a fight. _I have nowhere else to go, and nothing to fight for._ However, he couldn’t quite stop himself from flinching when Yukari slowly held out the tablet to him. “I’m afraid I have some more bad news for you.” Of course, you do, he startled himself with the bitterness of the thought, amazed that he had that much emotion left. Yet he didn’t hesitate as he reached out to take the tablet, feeling his mind already beginning to shut down as he stared at the video waiting to be watching, barely aware of Yukari quietly withdrawing from the room.

_‘Can you betray people who’ve already betrayed you?’_

****

   Kusanagi worried at his bottom lip as he watched Anna pouring over the plans that they had

drawn up at the meeting with the other clans. It seemed impossible to drag her attention away from them nowadays, and she seemed to be growing paler and more stressed by the day, and he couldn’t remember the last time she had spoken any more than was absolutely necessary. Not that the rest of them were doing much better. Nagare’s proposition and her decision weighing heavily on all of their shoulders, along with Fushimi’s words, although not one of them could really disagree with her decision. However, he knew that he couldn’t let this go on. They needed Anna at her full strength for the upcoming confrontation. Yata needed her, and he knew that she would never forgive herself if anything further went wrong.

“Anna you’re going to collapse if you keep doing this,” He pointed out softly as he moved across to her table and reached out to try and pull the plans away from her. Sighing when she mutely shook her head and clung even tighter to the pile of paper, refusing to let him take it, and he couldn’t keep the desperation out of his voice as he pleaded with her. “Anna! Please!” Stubbornly she continued to shake her head, desperation and grief warring in her eyes as she stared up at him, and he could see the tears forming in the corners, and he found himself letting go of the papers.

“This isn’t going to help,” Fushimi stated coolly as he stepped up alongside them, although his expression was surprisingly gentle when his gaze shifted to Anna, and when he reached for the plans, she made no effort to stop him from taking them. “You need to rest Anna. You’re the one that told me that I needed to be fully rested so that we can help Misaki, surely you realise those words apply to you?” He didn’t blink or hesitate in the slightest when he felt their gazes drifting to the dark shadows under his eyes, well aware that he looked far from fully rested, unwilling to share the fact that every time he closed his eyes at the moment he was haunted by the thought of having to raise his blade against Misaki. Apparently, Anna realised that he didn’t want to talk about it, turning her gaze to the plans in his hands for a moment before she let out a soft sigh of defeat.

“But…” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper and she couldn’t meet their gaze as she continued in an even quieter voice. “I made a choice. I condemned Misaki with my own words, and if they’re used against him. I…”

“As long as he’s alive we can still bring him back,” Fushimi pointed out just as softly, dumping the plans on the table beside him as he realised that she wasn’t going to try and grab them again, instead reaching out to rest a hand gently on her head. Waiting patiently until she lifted her head to finally meet his gaze, before continuing in a firmer voice. “It might be a fight, and it might take a long time to bring the Misaki we know back, but as long as he’s alive, we’ll have a chance to do it.” _‘I’ll kill you either way,’_ Misaki’s words from his dream echoed in his head, and he closed his eyes for a moment, hoping that they wouldn’t be able to see the fear lurking just beneath the surface. “So you need to be ready. We all need to be ready.”

“Saruhiko,” Anna murmured, hesitating for a moment before reaching up to brush her fingers across his cheek. She had caught the brief spark of terror that he hadn’t quite managed to hide, but she knew better than to call him on it, well aware that it was hard enough for him to speak out like this. _What put this fear in your eyes?_ Still, despite the fear, she could tell that he believed his words, at least to some extent, and finally, she nodded in understanding. _A chance, is that all we have now? A chance to save him? A chance to bring him back? It was supposed to be a certainty…_

“Anna…”

“It’s alright,” she turned to look at Kusanagi, finally allowing herself to see the worry in his eyes as he met her gaze. “I’ll rest. I want to bring Misaki home. I will bring him home…”

“Good,” Fushimi offered her a slight twitch of his lips when she glanced at him, before sighing as he gestured to the PDA he was carrying. The reason that he had come downstairs just in time to

catch their argument coming back to him and his expression darkened as he turned back to them. “I’ve got to head back to SCEPTER 4 for a while, but I will be back later.” The rest of his clan weren’t happy about his insistence on continuing to help HOMRA above, and beyond what the loose treaty required, especially now that a plan had been decided. But he felt closer to Misaki here, and even though it seemed unlikely that they would find anything before their fight with JUNGLE, the Reds were continuing their search, so how could he do any less?

“Is everything alright?” Kusanagi asked.

“As far as I know,” Fushimi replied with a scowl as he glanced down at the device, the message from Munakata had been startlingly brief and blunt, only asking for his presence without any explanation as to why it was required. “I imagine it will be about my part in our defence.” Somehow he doubted that was the case, remembering the odd expression on his King’s face during the conference between the three clans and the way that blue eyes had tracked his every movement. Something else is going on…He just prayed that it wasn’t something that was going to jeopardise Misaki, as he was no longer sure which of the two he would choose.

“Be safe,” Anna murmured, catching the uncertainty in his voice, quietly wrapping her arms around him for a moment before stepping back. Fushimi nodded, glancing at Kusanagi for a moment, silently commanding the older man to watch her even though he knew it was unnecessary and not his place. Still, the thought of something happening to her made him nervous, after all, it seemed that the only thing he could do for the missing vanguard at the moment was to protect his King for him.

_Misaki, I’ll watch her until you can…_

“Something else is going on,” Kusanagi murmured once the door had closed behind the Blue, unable to hide his worry as he glanced down at Anna who was staring intently at the door. “I’m not sure I completely trust Munakata’s intentions in this…”

“Reisi stands with us,” Anna replied with complete and utter certainty, and despite his searching look, he couldn’t find the slightest bit of hesitation in her expression. _I hope you’re right,_ he thought silently, still marvelling at her ability to interact with the Blue King, let alone trust him, after what had happened with Mikoto. “I’m going to rest for a little, can you recall Kamamoto and the others as well. Fushimi was right, we need to be ready to take whatever chance comes our way to save Misaki, so we all need to be rested,” she continued heading for the back of the bar. However, she paused in the doorway and glanced back at him with a stern expression. “That includes you.” He sighed, before offering her a terse smile and nodding in agreement.

“All right…rest well.”

    Anna nodded before slipping through the door, waiting until it had closed behind her, before slumping against the wall with a sigh as her calm mask shattered once more. All the calm and confidence she had shown Izumo disappearing in an instance as she glanced at the floor, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

_Reisi, what are you planning?_

****

   He had been wrong. There had still been something left for him to lose, a tiny part of him that hadn’t yet broken completely, at least not until he had watched the meeting between Anna and Nagare. At first, he had felt a spark of hope that he hadn’t felt in ages as he’d set eyes on his King, the feelings that had driven him to fight Yukari back in the tower surging up once more and for the first time in two weeks he had felt a little of his old self surfacing. And with that had come guilt at the realisation of how much he had been throwing away. What he hadn’t been prepared for was the pain that came as he heard Anna bluntly refusing Nagare’s offer, pain that had been made ten times worse by the resurgence of his old feelings, and followed closely by burning anger that he could never recall feeling before, not even Fushimi’s betrayal had made him feel like this.

_Anna…why?_

   The tablet had met a swift death, green sparks spilling out across his hands in response to his emotions, and he had finished the job by flinging it at the wall, not caring in the slightest if he wound up being punished for it. However, the anger had faded after a few minutes, and he’d curled defensively in the centre of the bed, trying desperately to clear his mind, stunned to feel dampness on his cheeks. He’s thought that he’d shed all the tears that he’d had left to shed. ‘ _No_ ’, Anna’s response had been short and to the point, and he couldn’t help but feel that it was a response to the question he had asked them weeks before when he’d still had hope that they were coming for him…

‘ _You’re not coming for me are you?’_

   There was a small voice at the back of his mind, whispering that Anna had, had no choice. While Nagare’s offer had seemed fairly reasonable, he knew that the slates were dangerous and that in JUNGLE’s hands they would probably be even more so, and that as a King there was no way that Anna could allow that to happen. However, he angrily closed his ears to that voice, the hurt burning in his chest growing in intensity as he huddled in on himself. _I believed in you. Yet Kamamoto has taken my place, and you’ve given up on me…why? WHY? WHY?!_ The green around him was growing by the second as his emotions rose, and he closed his eyes as more as more tears trickled down his cheeks, yet he made no effort to stop his aura flaring. He found himself unable to fear the green this time, unable to try and deny it. It was the only thing he had to cling to at the moment, and he struggled to swallow back the fresh spike of pain and grief that realisation left him with.

_‘Can you betray people who’ve already betrayed you.’_

****

   Fushimi hesitated for a moment outside of Munakata’s office, the feeling that something else was about to happen pressing ever closer, not helped by the terse atmosphere hanging over headquarters and the tense looks he had received from the others when he’d made his way up here. _Turn back_ , something was whispering in the back of his mind, but as he glanced down, taking in the blue of his uniform and the sword attached to his belt he knew that, that had long since ceased to be a choice. Gritting his teeth he straightened, stepping forward and tapping softly on the door, praying that this wasn’t going to be a mistake as he heard his King call for him to enter.

“Sir?” He asked as he stepped inside, immediately noticing that the older man looked more strained than he had the last time they’d spoken and he shifted uneasily, feeling the off note to the man’s aura. _What was going on?_

“Fushimi, please have a seat,” Munakata’s voice was calm and even, and Fushimi’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. Unable to remember the last time he had been offered a seat, and for a moment he was ready to refuse, but then his King’s eyes met his, and he felt his previous unease increasing tenfold as he took in the shadows in Munakata’s gaze. Slowly he moved across and sank into the chair that had been placed in front of the desk, noting that same plans that Anna had been studying were currently spread out in front of his King, only Munakata had covered his in his neat handwriting.

“Are you changing the plans?” He asked bluntly, struggling not to show his dismay at the thought. He’d already spent long hours learning how to use the computerised defence system for the tower, and time was running short, and he didn’t relish the idea of throwing that aside. Or having to learn it all over again, especially as that would take him away from the search for Misaki even more than it had already. He was pulled from his thoughts by the strained silence, blinking when he found that Munakata had leant forward while he’d been distracted and was now staring at him intensely. “Sir?”

“Tell me do you think Isana Yashiro’s plan will work?” Munakata asked after a moment, sitting back as he gestured at the notes in front of him. “Is this enough to stop JUNGLE?”

“I…” Fushimi had intended to say yes, but he found himself hesitating as his gaze returned to the annotated plans, remembering the doubts that had assailed him during the meeting. He hadn’t voiced them back then, knowing that they needed to be unified if it was going to stand a chance of working…and refusing to introduce a sour note that might endanger Misaki. As much as he wanted to see JUNGLE stopped…and as much as he acknowledged his responsibility to SCEPTER 4 and his King, at the moment it was the missing vanguard that was his focus. “I don’t know…”

“There is a chance that it will work, even I will acknowledge that,” Munakata replied with an odd look of satisfaction on his face, and Fushimi’s eyes narrowed, feeling as though he had just played right into the older man’s game without knowing the rules. “However, I believe that it would be wiser to cover all bases.” Fushimi felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as comprehension began to dawn. However, he kept his expression carefully blank as he settled back in his seat before asking coldly.

“What does that have to do with me?”

****

   Yukari made no effort to hide the smug expression on his face as he guided Yata towards their main room. Keeping one arm wrapped around the teen’s shoulder as he felt the vanguard beginning to tremble as the enormity of what was about to happen started to sink in, but he wasn’t concerned that the teen was going to fight it. After all, he had nothing else left to fight for. He had watched Yata ‘s reaction to the video with interest, the lack of fear that the teen had shown to his aura as he wept telling him that the final push had been entirely successful. Now it was time to conclude this game and prepare for their biggest game, and that meant that it was time to claim his prize.

   The vanguard had offered no objections when Yukari had appeared with clean clothes and ordered him to accompany him, not even reacting to the news that he was going to meet Nagare Hisui. His eyes were completely blank, devoid of even a spark of his old defiance, and he had shown only calm acceptance of both the older man’s presence and the arm around his shoulder. _You fought well Little Crow, only one more little test, and you shall stand exactly where you should…_

_*_

   Yata felt nothing but numbness as he was led into the odd room, even the fact that it was nothing more than a set - a false façade, didn’t bring forth a reaction. It had taken him several hours of lying there on his bed, the green surrounding him, for him to reach his decision, or rather to acknowledge his decision. If it could even be called that, as he realised now that he had never really had a choice. There had been no passion, no hope, no grief when he had realised that he had already made the decision. Just a cold feeling that had settled over every inch of him, giving him the strength to sit up and dry his tears, silently swearing that they were the last ones that he would let fall over this as he settled in to wait. Aware that he wouldn’t be given the time to start to doubt the path he was going to go down. Not that it would make any difference if he did doubt it, as this was the only path he had left now…

   The only sign of apprehension that appeared was when he glanced briefly at Sukuna who was sprawled on the couch playing a game, his expression tightening for a moment when the boy paused to shoot him a mocking grin. However, he didn’t rise to the bait, well aware that he was

outnumbered and out powered at the moment, and that he had no reason to fight someone who was about to become his clansman. Clearing his expression once more, he glanced briefly at the older man sat beside Sukuna who was watching him with something akin to pity in his eyes and he glanced away, not caring that he didn’t know who the man was, just desperate to avoid that expression. _I don’t need pity. I know they abandoned me, but that’s why I’m moving forward…_

   Finally, his attention shifted to the man that had to be their King, even at this distance he could feel the sheer weight of Nagare’s power, and he couldn’t stop himself from sinking back slightly, although he tensed as he felt Yukari chuckling at his reaction.

“Easy Little Crow, nothing will hurt you here,” Yukari murmured, patting him gently on the head, and Yata found himself unable to muster the slightest bit of irritation at either the gesture or the hated nickname, a lead weight appearing in his stomach as he realised that it had been weeks since he’d last protested that name. _I really do belong to them_ …There was a hint of disgust at that thought, but he buried it, after all, he had no use for it, and he remained impassive despite Yukari’s next words. “You’re about to become one of us after all.”

   Nagare was quiet for a few minutes as he studied Yata, and the former vanguard felt like he was being judged and he dreaded to think what the older man was seeing in him. Without thinking he found himself sinking into the power dancing just beneath the surface of his skin, the once hated colour giving him the strength to stand there and take the appraisal, and he missed the amusement that flashed through the King’s eyes as faint sparks skittered across his skin.

“It would appear your game was a success,” Nagare commented finally, lifting his head to glance at Yukari while observing Yata to see how he would react to being referred to as a game, pleased to see no sign of a reaction in the teen’s blank face. “However, I believe that there is one more test that must be passed before I can allow it to conclude and welcome our newest member.” Yata blinked as he realised that all attention was now riveted on him and that the last part of Nagare’s words had been directed at him. It took him a couple of attempts to get his voice to work, and when it did, it came out with an audible waver.

“W-what…?” _What else can you do to me?_

“Your mark, Little Crow,” Yukari replied well aware of what Nagare wanted, leaning forward with a look of anticipation as he stared at the teen. Waiting for Yata to nervously meet his gaze before letting his eyes dip down to the tattoo that could just be seen poking out from under the borrowed shirt. “The last thing that ties you to those that have abandoned you.”

“I…”

“Destroy it,” Nagare ordered, his voice suddenly cold and unyielding and Yata felt a shiver pass through him as he turned back to the Green King, realising that all previous humour had vanished from the older man’s expression. This wasn’t a choice, or rather it was a choice between obeying or dying, as he could see that no other options would be offered. _How naïve was I to think that this was over?_ He felt Yukari releasing his shoulder, tilting his head slightly to watch as the older man moved across to stand behind Nagare, clearly signifying that he was alone with this. That the weight of this choice was all on his shoulders, and he felt himself beginning to tremble. “Prove to me that you will be loyal to me alone.”

   A lump rose in the back of his throat as the enormity he was being asked to do registered, his hand rising to hover indecisively over the mark on his chest. _My pride…_ His fingers brushed against the mark, remembering all the times that his tattoo had been the only thing allowing him to hold himself together. It was the only reason he had managed to believe in HOMRA, in Anna for so long. _And they have abandoned you. So, why are you clinging to it even now?_ A small voice whispered at the back of his mind, and he closed his eyes for a moment, the memory of watching as Fushimi destroyed his mark flashing through his mind. Bile rising as he thought of all the times that had sworn that he would never abandon this mark, both to Fushimi and Yukari.

_Yet look at me now. Can I really do this?_

   Slowly he opened his eyes once more, hoping that none of his conflict was showing on his face, but too off-kilter to do anything about it as he allowed his gaze to drift over the four of them. _If I do this. If I destroy my mark, I will have somewhere to belong again…_ He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that he would be equal to all of them. He might take on their colour. He might follow them. But he doubted that he would ever be more than a prize to them. Nothing more than a game that they had won. Still, the thought of belonging somewhere was like a siren song after everything that had happened. _I might be a prize, a pawn, but I won’t be alone anymore…His_ fingers scraped the surface of his skin as he nudged his shirt aside, but still, he hesitated, unable to blast through the memories of how he’d got the mark and everything that it meant to him as easily he wished he could.

   After a moment his gaze shifted back to Nagare, and he struggled not to fidget under the intensity of that gaze, instead pausing as he recalled the fact that this man had actually offered HOMRA a chance to have him back. He had been willing to toss aside the game and had even offered them the choice of just not fighting, and they had turned him down. _No._ Anna’s voice echoed in his mind, and he released a soft breath as it was followed by the ever-present question.

 ‘ _Can you betray people who’ve already betrayed you?”_

   _No_ , he answered silently, unaware of the way his eyes had hardened and he missed the small gesture from Nagare as he pressed the tips of his fingers against the mark. _This is my choice…_

   It hurt more than he had ever thought possible, tears trickling down his cheeks despite his earlier promise to himself not to cry anymore, and it took him a moment to realise that it wasn’t green light that was obliterating his once beloved HOMRA mark, but the red that had been out of reach for so long. Bile rose in the back of his throat, as he lifted his head and caught the matching smirks on Yukari and Nagare’s faces as they watched him.

_They planned this, they let me use my red on purpose…_

   Yet he didn’t falter, peering down through his tears and watching as the last of his mark disappeared, leaving nothing but a nasty looking burn that he knew would scar. Meaning that he would never be free of what he had done. Feeling sick he allowed the weak flames around his fingers to fade away, his hand falling back to his side as he drew in a shaky breath. _It’s gone. My pride, my family, and I destroyed it all with my own hands…_

“Well done Little Crow,” Yukari murmured.

“Come here,” Nagare ordered, and Yata obeyed without hesitation, not even wincing as the freshly burnt mark on his chest rubbed against his clothes. _I deserve this pain. This is a sign of my choice…my future…my betrayal._ He blinked back the stinging sensation that had appeared in his eyes, refusing to show any more weakness in front of them, reaching up to scrub what tears remained off his face just before he came to a halt in front of Nagare. The King holding out a hand, and glancing at him impatiently until Yata slowly reached out and took it. A faint cry of pain escaping him as he felt Nagare’s power washing over him, the green seeping into every corner of his body and forcing his red back until he couldn’t even feel the faint trace he had been clinging to. His knees gave way beneath him as the world filled with green, and he was barely aware of Nagare, of his King, releasing his hand, although he didn’t manage to miss his King’s next words. “Now you’re a full clansman, and you will stand beside us as our green sweeps across this world.”

   There was no joy or relief at that announcement. Instead, he felt utterly empty as Yukari moved to his side and helped him back to his feet and across to a spare chair. The chatter and celebrations that were breaking out around him completely passing him by. All he was aware off was the green simmering beneath the surface of his skin, and the pain from his chest, and ever so slowly he reached up to press against the fresh wound a bitter laugh escaping as he glanced down at it.

_Saru, I guess we match now…_

 


	17. Chapter 17

****

   Anna had been sat quietly at her usual table, listening as Kusanagi and Kamamoto went over the plans for their defence of Mihashira Tower and the slates, her marbles sitting still and dark just within reach when suddenly she froze. _Misak_ i…Something was tickling at the edge of her senses, and she straightened with a soft gasp, reaching blindly for her marbles as for the briefest moment crimson flashed in the depths, and she felt an answering spark of hope in her chest as her fingers curled around them. However, she had barely managed to lift them up before the crimson died away and there was a dull ache in her chest as she caught a brief spark of green before they returned to being nothing more than simple marbles. _Misaki, what have you done?_

“Anna?” Kusanagi asked.

“Misaki…” Anna whispered staring down at the marbles in her hand, tears stinging in the corners of her eyes as she realised that there was no trace of the fire that had filled them seconds before, before slowly lifting her head to look at them. “Just for a moment, I could feel his red…” She had waited so long to feel that sensation, and yet now she wished that she hadn’t, as the new loss cut deeper than she'd ever thought possible.

“Did you manage to…?” Kamamoto began hopefully, only to tail off when she shook her head in response. “It disappeared too quickly, and it's being blocked again,” she whispered, seeing the same disappointment she was feeling reflected in their expressions. After weeks of searching it felt unbelievably cruel to have been offered that brief, tantalising sense of Misaki only for it to disappear once more. Especially as she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to what was blocking it, and she couldn’t stop her voice from wavering as she added quietly. “Something’s happened.” The _'something bad'_ went unspoken, but she could see their expressions darkening at her words, and she hesitated for a moment before adding the next bit. “I saw green, just before his red disappeared. I think…I think he might have given up.” It hurt more than she had ever thought possible to say those words, especially as once upon a time she would have thought that it would be impossible to say that about Misaki.

“We knew it could happen,” Kusanagi was the first to regain his voice, but there was a harsh edge to it that showed he was struggling to stay calm. “But we have to remember what Fushimi said, we still have a chance to bring him back.” _But will he let us?_ He had no illusions that it was going to be easy because if Yata really had given up, it was because of their failure to protect him. And to rescue him before it was too late, and if that was the case, it would be a fight to get him to let them in again.

“But…”

“Rikio?” Anna asked turning to the blond when he didn’t continue, reaching out to lay her hand on his arm when she realised he was shaking slightly, and she found herself wanting to flinch back from the fury burning in his eyes when he slowly lifted his head to look at her.

“JUNGLE and Yukari, they’re not just going to hand him back to us,” Kamamoto made no effort to hide his hatred for the Greens, he couldn’t care less that they’d injured him or that they were going after the slates. But what they had done to Yata - there was no way he could forgive them for that. He was so lost in his angry thoughts that he failed to notice Kusanagi’s concerned gaze shifting between him and Anna, or the way the older man tensed at Anna’s nod of agreement. “They’ve been taunting us all this time, there’s no way they’re going to leave it at that.”

“The Tower,” Kusanagi breathed in realisation, closing his eyes at the mere thought of being forced to face their vanguard. _Can any of us fight him?_ Slowly he opened his eyes and stared around the ruined bar, seeing echoes of the bright-eyed teen who had swiftly become a central pillar for their clan, and his hands clenched into fists at his side, as he looked back at the other two who were sat wide-eyed as the reality of the situation pressed in on them.

_Will we really have a choice?_

****

   Yata hissed as he curled in on himself on the bed, every movement causing his clothes to rub against the burn on his chest, which he had adamantly refused to let Yukari treat. He needed to feel this pain. He needed to feel the full force of his betrayal. He just wanted to feel something. He hadn’t been able to join in with the celebrations, and eventually, he’d slipped off to his room, the fact that they had just let him go telling him just what he’d done. He was no longer considered a threat, or at risk of escaping. They knew that he had nowhere to go, nowhere to belong apart from here, and that realisation had made him feel sick to his stomach and yet he didn’t try to fight against it.

_I chose this…_

   While he had been left alone the night before, he had been woken by Yukari this morning, the older man insisting on tending to his injuries although he had backed down on the issue of his burn. More than once he had contemplated pushing Yukari away, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to do it, despite the distrust and disgust crawling beneath the surface of his skin. He wanted contact. He wanted comfort and somewhere to belong, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, Yukari was giving him just that. It was that that had held him still while his injuries were dealt with. It was that which had kept him silent as choked down the food he was giving, not tasting a single mouthful and feeling no relief at the knowledge that he was going to survive.

   Once he’d finished, or rather had to give up, his stomach still struggling to accommodate proper meals after his previous treatment, he had been given fresh clothes and a PDA. The latter had stunned him, immediately making him doubt his earlier assumptions that they were through testing him, and his doubt had clearly shown on his face as Yukari had chuckled, explaining that it was a sign of trust and that he would need it for his first mission. The malicious smirk that had accompanied that announcement scared him, especially when Yukari had refused to explain what the first mission was, saying that it would ruin the surprise. Somehow he doubted that was a surprise that he was going to enjoy, but he hadn’t voiced that thought, well aware that by accepting the green that now danced beneath his skin he had lost any right to protest.

   Eventually, he had been left alone, with the promise that he would have company again later - something that scared and relieved him in equal amounts. Which was why he now found himself curled up on his bed, staring at the PDA in his hands. It was a simple device, nothing like the one that Saru had given him which had disappeared when he was captured, and he pushed away the pain that came with the thought of it being destroyed. _It doesn’t matter. I threw all that aside_ , he raised his free hand to brush against his ruined HOMRA mark, the pain jolting him back to the present and he shifted his attention back to the PDA. The only contact in it was Yukari, and he had to fight back the urge to delete that number. Because as much as he needed company, he still felt uncomfortable around the older man, and he had to fight the urge to poke at the scar on his chest. Instead, he shifted his attention back to the screen, staring blankly at the JUNGLE logo in the middle, an idea starting to form in the back of his mind.

_A potentially dangerous idea…_

    His fingers were moving before he’d even consciously decided what he was going to do, typing out a number that he had once tried to forget, but which had been as deeply ingrained in his memory as the tattoo on his chest had been ingrained in his skin. _I should throw this away too_ , he thought faltering on the last digit, and yet he found himself hitting the zero and then dial despite his doubts, his hands trembling violently as he pressed the device to his ear. _What am I even doing?_ This was a terrible idea on so many levels, and he knew that it was only going to hurt him, and he was about to cancel the call when it was picked up at the other end, and he felt his breath catch in his throat as the familiar voice washed over him.

**_“Hello?”_ **

**

   Fushimi was staring blankly down at the paperwork in front of him, unable to focus on anything but the meeting he’d had with his King the day before and the task that had been assigned to him _. Can I really do it?_ His hands clenched and he blinked as the report in front of him ripped slightly, and a small curse escaped as he sat up and tried to smooth it out, seizing on the momentary distraction from his whirling thoughts. He hadn’t even been able to bring himself to go back to HOMRA yet, instead calling through to say that he had been caught up with work, only to hear of Anna’s suspicions. And the weight of what he was being asked to do had only intensified at the thought that they might have already run out of time.

_Misaki, could you really have given up?_

   He didn’t want to believe it, but he trusted Anna’s powers, and he knew that Misaki had already been teetering on the edge when they’d received the last video from JUNGLE, and somehow he just couldn’t bring himself to doubt it. _Misaki…_

   Sighing and realising that he wasn’t going to get any work done until all this was over and done with, he leant back in his seat, half hoping that Awashima would come in and give him a row for it. It would be a welcome distraction from the thoughts whirling through his mind. However, he had barely seen the woman recently, and he knew that she had her own worries and concerns with the growing deterioration of their King’s sword. Not that it was something that they had really acknowledged or spoken about yet, and he wondered how long they were meant to continue along as though nothing was happening. Even the other clans had shown that they were aware of what was going on, although thankfully they hadn’t raised the issue with Munakata or any of SCEPTER 4 for that matter.

   Growling at the rapidly darkening tone of his thoughts he made to rise, half-heartedly contemplating dropping by HOMRA to see if anything had happened, although he knew that if it had that Anna would have contacted him. Still, it might be a welcome distraction, even if he worried that the Red King would be able to see through him and the reasons for his current stress levels. However, he was barely halfway out of his seat when his PDA began to ring, and with a muffled curse he grabbed it, faltering as he realised that he didn’t recognise the number on the screen and for a moment he contemplated just ignoring it, but as his finger hovered over the off button he found himself hesitating. _What am I doing?_ Clicking his tongue, he pressed answer instead and pressed the device to his ear.

“Hello?” He snapped, eyes narrowing when there was no response apart from quiet, shaky breathing and a sudden hope crept through him, and he deliberately softened his voice before continuing. “Misaki? Misaki is that you?” Nothing, there was no sound of acknowledgement and no shift in the breathing, but the other person didn’t hang up either and taking a deep breath tried again. “Yata?” This time there was a slight hitch in the other’s breathing, and he felt his own breathing beginning to speed up, and he had to take a deep breath before asking softly. “Yatagasaru?” A soft whimper met the nickname, and he closed his eyes, torn between relief at the revealing noise and pain that such a sound could come from the vanguard, and he had to fight the urge to speak again, hoping that if he waited that Misaki might summon up the courage to speak.

 ** _“Not anymore.”_** It was the faintest whisper, and he wasn’t entirely convinced that it wasn’t just a figment of his imagination and he was about to try to get a better response when he was met with the damming sound of the dial tone, and a lead weight settled in his stomach. _Misaki…_

“Wait!” He pleaded, even though deep down he realised that it was too later, but he couldn’t stop himself from adding hopefully. “Misaki?”

   Slowly he lowered his PDA and stared at it, knowing that there was no point in returning the call, as he knew that it was unlikely that Misaki would reply. His fingers tightening around the device as he finally allowed himself to contemplate what that call had meant. If Misaki was being given access to a phone and the freedom to make a call, then it suggested that he had become something more than a prisoner, and he shivered as the images from his nightmares flashed through his mind.

_Damn it Misaki, have you really given up on us? On me? On yourself?_

**

   _What the hell was I thinking?_ Yata thought as he stared down at the phone in his lap, his heart pounding as he fiercely blinked away the tears now stinging his eyes. _Saru? Why? Why did I call you?_ Had he been hoping that the Blue wouldn’t answer? Or had he just wanted to torture himself? It had certainly worked if that was the case as it felt like he had just ripped the scab of a deep wound, and he barely managed to swallow back a sob as he tossed the PDA away from himself, curling into a tiny ball in the centre of his bed. Hearing the familiar voice had been a blunt reminder of what he had lost. What he had thrown away, and yet…

_He almost sounded concerned…._

“Idiot,” he snarled quietly, slamming a clenched fist into his thigh as he forced that thought away. _It doesn’t matter what he sounded like. They gave up on me…they gave up on me_ …Desperately he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the world out as he focused on the current of green running beneath his skin. At least that was something real. It might not be the colour he wanted and loved, but it was real, and there, it was something that he could cling to in this madness.

_I’m green now. I’m JUNGLE…_

**

   Yukari smirked as he leant back on the couch, satisfied that Yata wasn’t going to cause trouble. It had been necessary to provide him with a PDA ready for their upcoming attack on the slates, but he hadn’t been sure that the teen would be able to resist the temptation, and he had wanted to be sure before unleashing his pet on the other clans. He hadn’t been surprised that the teen had reached out to someone, although he had to admit that he had been somewhat surprised that it had been the Blue that had faced him back in the tower and not HOMRA. It had been amusing to watch the call and see the moment that the teen had realised the mistake he’d made, and he had to admit he was curious as to what the Blue had said or done to trigger that kind of response. But it didn’t really matter. What mattered was that it seemed as though willing or not, his Little Crow was ready to take the field for JUNGLE’s sake.

“He’s ready,” he reported as he glanced across at the others who had been waiting for him to speak, and he caught the flicker of disappointment in Sukuna’s eyes, well aware that the boy was still put out that the former vanguard had taken off in the middle of their fight. However, he dismissed the reaction as unimportant, well aware that the boy wouldn’t go against what Nagare wanted, and their King was rather taken with the idea of using his newest clansman against the other clans. “Nagare-chan?”

“Then we’ll act tomorrow,” Nagare replied bluntly, only the glitter in his eyes as he glanced around at them all, telling them just how much he was looking forward to this. “What better way to herald in Christmas, than taking the slates on Christmas Eve? We’ll be able to celebrate with a party, and hopefully celebrate your prize’s debut at the same time.”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that,” Yukari replied with a half bow, unable to stop his fingers curling around his sword hilt in anticipation of the fight to come. They all knew that the other clans had been preparing for this, and no doubt had plans ready to try and stop them, but he had no doubt that their green would sweep the other colours away. _Kuroh-chan, I hope you’ve grown since we last met…_

“Don’t put too much faith in him,” Iwafune warned quietly, his gaze shifting between Yukari and Nagare as he sipped his beer.

“Now, Now Iwa-san,” Yukari pouted at the older man, feigning hurt as he gestured at the tablet in his lap as he asked sadly. “Surely you don’t think my Little Crow will turn on us now?”

“Maybe not,” Iwafune admitted, well aware of how much work it had taken to reach the point where the HOMRA vanguard had willingly removed his own mark. Somehow he doubted that the teen would be able to come back from that. _But still_ …His expression darkened as he turned to Nagare, making sure that his one-time charge was listening as he added softly. “But we’re too close to success to be careless.”

“If he strays I’ll finish what I started when the Red King was born,” Yukari promised as he caught Nagare’s gaze flicking towards him, meeting it without hesitation, and after a moment his King nodded and settled back in his chair.

“Then it is settled.”

_Little Crow, are you ready to shine for me?_

****

   Anna rubbed a hand wearily across her hand, feeling far older than she should as she stared down at their plans. After their conversation the previous night they had tried to rework everything that they were being expected to do, on the basis that they might have to deal with their own vanguard. Or protect him, as they weren’t sure how the Blues would react if Misaki was forced to attack along with JUNGLE. It was a heartbreaking task. Just the thought of facing Misaki drummed up her nightmare, and she knew that it wasn’t any better for her clansmen. They had spoken with Dewa and the others, and while they had taken the news calmer than Kamamoto, she knew that the entire clan was on the end of a short fuse right now. And she wondered if they were really going to be able to do what they needed to protect the slates and protect Misaki. _If he’ll let us_ …

   She was about to suggest that they take a break, as Kamamoto’s temper was threatening to bring him into conflict with Izumo who was still trying to approach this as calmly as possible, and she feared any more splits in her clan when the door burst open, and Fushimi dashed inside. Whatever greeting she had been about to give died on the tip of her tongue died as she got a look at his face. He was pale, and he there was a darkness to his eyes that hadn’t been there the day before, and she had a feeling that it wasn’t just whatever Reisi had wanted to talk to him about. Apparently, Kusanagi had noticed the Blue’s state as well, as he rose and gently guided the teen into a chair, and his voice when he spoke was softer than it had been in a while.

“Fushimi?”

“Misaki called me,” Fushimi whispered after a moment, and they could all see his knuckles turning white as he clutched at the table in front of it, and any hope that his words had triggered died as it didn’t take a genius to realise that the conversation hadn’t gone well.

“He called you?” Anna asked cautiously.

“At least I think it was him,” Fushimi muttered softly, lifting his head slightly to meet her gaze, taking a deep breath before he continued. “It wasn’t a number I knew, and he only said one thing. But it was him…” _I’m sure it was…_

“What did he say?”

“I was trying to get him to respond,” Fushimi replied hesitantly, now that he had, had some time to reflect on the call he couldn’t help but wonder if there was something else he could or should have said. If he’d done it differently, would Misaki have reached out to him? The calmer, more realistic part of him knew that it wouldn’t have made a difference. Misaki might have been the one to call, but the fact that he hadn’t been able to say anything to him, suggested that the older teen hadn’t known how to reach out to him. Or hadn’t been able to… “He didn’t respond to Misaki, so I tried calling him Yata, and then Yatagasaru, and after the last one he said ‘not anymore’, and then he hung up.”

“‘Not anymore’?” Kusanagi echoed, pinching the bridge of his nose when Fushimi gave a small nod of acknowledgement before shifting his attention to Anna, sighing as he caught the grief that had seeped into her expression. “Then…”

“He chose…” She finished for him.

_Misaki, I’m so sorry we didn’t get there in time, but I promise we haven’t given up._

****

   Awashima paused as she caught sight of Munakata heading up the stairs towards his office, his tread heavier than ever and she closed her eyes briefly, well aware that he had just come from the slates yet again. _What is about them that keeps drawing you to them?_ She wished that she dared to ask, but it was like the situation with his sword, well known but unspeakable at this point and she wondered if they would ever no before it became too late for explanations. Her hand dropped to her sword hilt, fingers trembling slightly as she brushed them against it, _will I be able to do what needs to be done?_ Even now, with the battle against JUNGLE looming over their heads she was no closer to being able to answer that question, and she feared that time was running out even though she was careful not to show that around either him or the rest of their clan. _We have to focus on what we can do…_

   Her fears weren’t helped in the slightest by the situation with Fushimi. The third in command was still focused on the HOMRA vanguard, and she wasn’t entirely sure how aware of their King’s situation he was. Although knowing Fushimi, he probably knew far more than he should. Still, with his focus elsewhere, she wasn’t sure how much she would be able to rely on him if things went awry. Then there was the meeting he had, had with Munakata the day before. She wouldn’t have known anything about it if she hadn’t been chasing Dōmyōji for a report and happened to spot Fushimi slipping out of their King’s office, with an expression that she had never seen before on his face. Even now she wasn’t entirely sure what emotions he had been showing, all she knew was that it made her uneasy _._ _Something’s going to happen…_

   Sighing she straightened and forced her hand away from her weapon, well aware that there was nothing that she could do about it for now. They needed to focus on protecting the slates, and stopping JUNGLE, and hopefully, then they would have time to consider their own problems. Still, she couldn’t prevent her gaze from returning to Munakata, her eyes narrowing as he passed out of sight as she silently made him yet another promise.

_Captain, I will keep you safe._

****

   Kuroh paced uneasily back and forth across the living room, unable to settle even though he knew that he should be resting in preparation for the upcoming attack on the slates. Shiro and Neko had already retired, although he doubted that their King would be resting, as Shiro had more resting on this than any of them, and his gaze flickered briefly to the bedroom door in concern at that thought, well aware that his King was more worried than he had let on. Sighing he turned and moved across to the window and stared out towards the city, it was a beautiful sight at night, but he couldn’t bring himself to appreciate the view at the moment, not with the threat of JUNGLE, and the threat of Yukari hanging over his head.

   He knew without a doubt that the older man would seek him out if he could, and he honestly wasn’t sure if he was any more prepared to face him that he had been the last time they fought. With Shiro at his side once more he was stronger, but was that enough? The fact that they hadn’t managed to help HOMRA in their search for Yata Misaki was also weighing on him, and he knew that a fight with Yukari might be one of the only ways he could try and find information. The feeling that he owed the vanguard hadn’t diminished in the slightest, and his hand slipped down to his sword.

_This time I will be the one to fight him till the end, and somehow I have to find a way to win for both our sakes…_

 


	18. Chapter 18

   Anna’s gaze was fixated on the marbles in her hands. Ever since she had seen that brief glimpse of Misaki’s red she had barely dared to take her eyes off them, even though deep down she knew that it wasn’t going to reappear, at least not without help. It hurt, but she knew that she had to accept the fact that for now at least he had flown away from her side, but she refused to accept that it could be a permanent change. She couldn’t accept it, and she knew that Fushimi and her clan felt the same. It was why the battle ahead of them was weighing so heavily on them, there was far more than the safety of the slates on their mind, and worse they knew it was Misaki that might pay the price, both for the success or failure of this plan.

“Anna, it’s time to go,” Kusanagi said softly as he moved across to join her. Not sure what to make of the emotions swimming in her eyes as she glanced up at him, and his gaze shifted briefly to the marbles in her hand before she was able to tuck them away in her pocket and he couldn’t prevent himself from asking. “Are you ready for this?”

“Are any of us?” Anna countered softly as she glanced around the bar. She didn’t think she had ever seen her clan so grim, even in the wake of Mikoto’s death they had tried their hardest to keep moving forward and focus on the good memories that they shared. But Misaki’s injury and then his disappearance, followed by his suspected change in loyalties, well there was no way that they could brush that aside. She just hoped that they would all be able to turn it into the strength they would need to make this plan succeed. Sighing she turned back to Kusanagi, and this time her eyes were hard and determined. “I will stop Nagare Hisui from taking the slates. But…”

“You’re worried about Yata?”

“We have to bring him home tonight,” she whispered. It was one of her biggest fears, that if they failed tonight, then Misaki would be lost to them for good. Their previous failures had pushed him to this extent, and she knew that he couldn’t take anymore. _Tonight…Tonight my red will be the colour that protects you! I will stop JUNGLE! I will show you that HOMRA is still your home_! Her hands curled into fists in front of her as she stared down at them, wishing desperately that there was some way for her to ensure that her words would come true, but there were too many uncertainties about tonight. However, when she lifted her head and glanced around at her clansmen, she saw that they had been listening to her words and that there was nothing but determination and faith in their expressions, and she felt her lips quirk slightly.

_Not my red, our red…our red will bring you home, Misaki._

“We will,” Kusanagi replied softly as he rested a hand gently on her shoulder, praying that he wouldn’t be made to eat those words by the end of the evening. It would be bad enough if they lost the slates, but he knew that if they let Misaki slip through their hands once more then, there was a chance that Anna might falter. That they might all falter. For now, though it seemed as though his words were enough as Anna had straightened, her expression one of calm determination once more as she glanced around the bar.

“Tonight we will protect the slates and bring Misaki home!” She said loudly, allowing her aura to flare slightly to reinforce her words and the others immediately climbed to their feet. “We will make JUNGLE regret making enemies of HOMRA!” For a moment Kusanagi could have sworn that he had heard Mikoto in her words, and he took a deep breath before stepping up alongside her and raising his hand in the air, trying to ignore the fact that it wasn’t Yata’s voice leading them as he initiated their chant.

“No Blood! No Bone! No Ash!”

_Mikoto, please help us succeed tonight._

**

   Kuroh shook his head as he watched Neko and Shiro chatting lightly as they headed towards the Tower, neither of them acting as though everything was resting on the outcome of this day, and he wondered how they could be so light-hearted. Although he knew that for Shiro at least it was little more than an act, as he caught the Silverette frantically going over their plans in the early hours of the morning. And just before they had left the Silver King had paused to pay his respects to the picture of his sister and the former Gold King that he had retrieved from the Lieutenant’s rooms. So how can he smile so brightly now? He asked as he watched the older man laughing at whatever the strain had just said, the amber eyes lighting up brightly enough to show that it was genuine laughter.

“Kurosuke! Hurry up!” Neko had noticed that he was dawdling, and he blinked as he realised that they were now glancing back at him with concerned eyes, and despite himself, he felt his lips twitching upwards. There was no way he could forget what was awaiting them in the Tower, or what they might lose if they failed tonight, but perhaps for a bit longer, he could just enjoy being with his clan. Finally giving in and smiling he hurried to join them, meeting amber eyes and noting the relief and approval lingering in their depths, but then Shiro blinked, and all traces of those emotions disappeared.

“We’re discussing what we’re going to have for Christmas dinner,” Shiro informed him calmly as they resumed walking towards the tower, Neko prancing between them and letting out an excited noise at the mention of food and Kuroh rolled his eyes at her antics, feeling some of the tension easing out of him.

“Are you going to cook it?” He asked teasingly, well aware that Shiro’s attempts at cooking were restricted to rice…rice and more rice, and neither of them would ever trust the strain in the kitchen. At once they both shot him pleading looks and deliberately glanced away with a lofty expression, although the effect was ruined as he caught sight of their crestfallen expressions and broke down in soft chuckles, flinging a hand up to protect himself as Neko began to punch him softly.

 _Maybe it’s not such a bad thing if we can remain like this a little longer_ …

**

   Seri had developed a slight nervous tic, drumming her fingers anxiously against her hip as she watched the others preparing for their upcoming battle. The atmosphere in headquarters had been one of quiet anticipation all day, and while everyone appeared fairly confident, there was an underlying nervousness as the full implication of what was happening began to settle in. She knew that it wasn’t helping that Munakata had disappeared mid-morning, saying very little about what was to come, and while she knew that they were all drawing confidence from the fact that he would be in charge of the defence of the slate room, it would have been reassuring to hear him speak.

   She had managed to grab a brief moment with him, as much as she hoped that this plan was going to work, she was realistic enough to know that there was a lot that could go wrong and wanted to know that there was some kind of back up. However, he had merely offered a silent smile in response to the question before guiding the conversation onto safer topics, leaving her unsure as to whether he was prepared or just confident. It hadn’t escaped her notice either that he paused for a moment to talk to Fushimi, and that their brief exchange had appeared much terser than usual, although that could have been because of the younger teen’s worry for the former HOMRA vanguard. Especially as Kusanagi had called to warn her that they might face Yata Misaki during the battle, and she wasn’t sure that Fushimi was going to be able to handle that.

 Clicking her tongue, she turned on her heel and moved towards the window. She was ready to leave, just standing around waiting for it be time was grating on her nerves, and her thoughts were whirling in circles, and she knew that she couldn’t afford to be distracted by such things when they actually got to the tower.

_Please let this work for everyone's sake._

**

  Yukari hummed under his breath as he checked his reflection one last time, his hand reaching up to check that his sword was safely in place. There was no room for mistakes or failure tonight. His job was to carve a path for his King, and he intended for it to be a beautiful path, one that would allow Nagare to blast through to the future that they were envisioning. Satisfied with his appearance, he glanced across at Sukuna who was sat on the back of the sofa, impatiently swinging his scythe backwards and forwards, the smirk playing on his lips showing that he was anticipating the battle to come and Yukari felt his lips quirking up in response. Tonight had been a long time in coming, and yet the main event was no longer the main reason for his anticipation, and his eyes lit up as he turned his attention to the third person in the room.

   Yata was sat as far away from them as possible, huddled on the floor and staring off into space with blank eyes. However, Yukari had no concerns that his thoughts were straying too dangerous topics, as the teen had remained completely calm and expressionless when Nagare had explained their plans earlier that day, although their King had heeded Iwafune’s warning in that he hadn’t mentioned their trump card to the former red. And even the command that he was to serve as a distraction, potentially coming up against the Blues but more likely his old clan, had earned little more than a flicker in the shadowed eyes, and Yukari hadn’t missed the brief expression of anger that had appeared on the teen’s face. In fact, his anticipation for the show to come increasing significantly at the sight of it.

“Little Crow…” He called teasingly, revelling in the fact that Yata didn’t even bother to react to the hated nickname anymore, waiting patiently for the blank eyes to drift up to meet his gaze before adding with a smirk. “It’s time to go.” The former vanguard blinked, the words taking a moment to process, but then he rose to his feet without a hint of protest and with only the slightest wince to indicate that the burn on his chest was still bothering him.

“Understood…” Yata’s voice was as empty as his expression, and Yukari nodded in approval before turning and heading for the door, unsurprised when he heard Sukuna shoving his way in front of Yata as they followed him.

_Shine for me, Little Crow._

****

_Misaki…_

    Fushimi knew that he should be focusing on the task at hand, after all, there was a lot more than the safety of one clansman resting on the success or failure of their plan today. Yet even as he stared at the screen ahead of him, he couldn’t bring himself to focus on anything else, and his hands clenched in front of him. _How are they going to use him? A diversion?_ He knew that he wasn’t the only one that was more focused on Yata than the Slates, and he wondered if the Greens were going to exploit that fact. After all, if they sent Misaki in first, then HOMRA would be distracted...although he had a feeling that Anna and Kusanagi had anticipated such a ploy and had prepared themselves as best they could. _Although how are we supposed to prepare for this?_

   At one point it had been as natural as breathing to fight Misaki, but now the mere thought of it had Fushimi feeling sick to his stomach. _Misaki…_

“Fushimi!”

“What?!” He snapped far more harshly than he’d intended, turning to Fuse who was sat beside him at the next terminal and staring at the screen, following the other’s gaze he let out a soft curse as he took in the two figures heading towards the Tower. His gaze lingering on the taller of the two and he felt his hand inching towards his sword. _Yukari Mishakuji..._ He had never hated someone as much as he hated that man, and for a moment all thoughts of their plan and Munakata’s request flew out of his mind, and he was halfway out of his seat before he realised what he was doing. _I can’t…_ As much as he hated to admit it, he was of more use here for now, and he needed to be able to watch out for Misaki as it seemed as though JUNGLE had decided not to unleash their newest weapon just yet. “Let them know it’s starting,” he ordered through gritted teeth, barely paying attention as Fuse relayed the news to the rest of their clansman in the tower, slowly sinking back into his seat.

   However, his resolve to stay put was tested when Yukari glanced towards the camera seconds before the feed from the entrance hall cut out, and he snarled as the man’s smirk and wave were engraved on his memory. Even if it wasn’t today, he would make sure that his blades were the ones that ended that man. _I will kill you_ , he vowed venomously, unaware of the worried expression that Fuse shot him as he shifted his attention back to the screen, well aware that his role would be starting soon.

_Misaki where are you?_

*

  Anna stiffened as Shiro’s voice came through announcing that Yukari and Sukuna had entered the building and were working their way up towards them, her aura flaring in response before she could stop it, and Kamamoto and Kusanagi were forced to dodge aside. Her hands were clenched tightly into fists as she forcefully reigned it in, her temper simmering just below the surface at the thought that the man who had taken Misaki. The man who had hurt him and stolen him from her was currently moving freely through the building. If it hadn’t been for the slates upstairs, and the fact that the Blues and Silvers were relying on her and HOMRA to fulfil their role she might well have abandoned her post.

_I will make him pay for hurting Misaki…_

“Anna,” Kusanagi said warningly, feeling the air around her beginning to heat up again and guessing where her thoughts had gone. Blinking she clamped down on her powers before turning to look at him, there was anger in his eyes at the prospect of Misaki’s captors being in the building, but the predominant emotion at the moment was concern. Concern for her, and what she might try to do to the ones that had hurt Misaki and she sighed before giving him a pointed look.

“Don’t look at me like that. I know that you asked Fushimi to try and send Sukuna towards us,” She told him bluntly, having caught the tail end of the conversation the previous day. At first, her instinct had been to lash out in anger, but deep down she knew that it was the wisest decision. Her power was needed against Nagare, and there was no way she would have been able to control herself if she came face to face with Yukari.

“Er…” Kusanagi looked sheepish.

“It was the right decision,” Anna admitted reluctantly, offering him a terse smile when he visibly relaxed at her words. “I can’t guarantee that I would be able to stay in control if he was right in front of me…”

_However, once the slates are safe, he is mine._

*

   Fushimi growled as he realised that the Greens had got to the tenth floor much sooner than he’d anticipated. Clearly, they were done playing around after Awashima had managed to hold them up for a short time. Checking the cameras that showed the perimeter one last time to make sure that there was still no sign of Misaki, he forced himself to focus on the screen ahead of him, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. Codes and programs that he had spent the last few days memorising dashing across the screen, and he felt his worry retreating somewhat. It might not be helping to get Misaki back, but if it was actively doing something to hinder JUNGLE, then he would take what he could get, his focus sharpening as he listened to Fuse announcing that the first set of traps were activated. _I won’t let you have your way without a fight. If I can’t get my blade in you right now, then I will use what weapons I can…_

   His lips curled up slightly as he studied the list of traps. Clearly, the Gold King had anticipated something along this line happening in the future because this was no ordinary defence system,  and it appeared the old man had had something of a sadistic streak as the traps were designed to cause maximum discomfort and injury, although he doubted that they were intended to actually cause death. Either way, the traps matched his desires at the moment, and there was a dark gleam to his eyes as his fingers resumed their previous dance across the keys.

“Let’s see you dance out of these.”*

   The announcement that they had cleared the first round of traps drew mixed feelings from him. There was a prickling of unease at the reminder that these two were the most powerful members of JUNGLE that they had encountered and that their traps might not be enough, but there was also a sense of challenge that he had to be the one to halt their progress. Besides in a bizarre way he felt better at the reaffirmation that they were strong foes. It made his own loss back to Yukari in the Tower, and what had happened to Misaki marginally more bearable than if they had been weak, and it made him more determined than ever to defeat them _. I will stop you!_ He thought fiercely as he unleashed the next set of traps of them, relieved when a couple of minutes Fuse announced that they had successfully separated the pair, although the news they had taken very little damage was more than a little discouraging _. Just how strong are they?_

   With nothing else to do until the next stage of their plan, he leant back in his seat, eyes instantly returning to the cameras as he searched for any sign of Yata. There was no way JUNGLE was going to be able to resist at least showing him. _So, where the hell are you Misaki?_

*

   It was strange standing in the vanguard without Yata there to bolster their spirits. If the situation had been normal Kamamoto and Kusanagi would have been stood there teasing him about the fact that they were relying on Fushimi’s skills, well aware that the hot-headed teen wouldn’t deny it, although he would be scowling and trying not to blush as he admitted it. Instead, they were stood there in silence, waiting for their opponent to appear, aware of how much depended on them being able to halt the two main players in their tracks at this stage.

“I miss Yata, it doesn’t feel the same without him getting fired up,” Kamamoto admitted with a scowl, shifting uneasily and glancing over his shoulder as though expecting the vanguard to appear at any moment.

“I know,” Kusanagi said softly, well aware that the blond had been more on edge than ever at the thought of his friend being sent against them and he feared what the younger man might do if Yata did put in an appearance. “You…” His words were cut off by the door being slashed open, and his mouth dropped as he found himself staring at Yukari rather than Sukuna, a muffled curse falling from his lips as he realised that his plan at keeping Anna away from this man had just been well and truly ruined. _Damn it Fushimi, what the hell happened?_ He knew better than to ask, as he had a brief glimpse of the schematics for the defensive system and knew just how complicated the task they had given the teen was. _Still, this was the last thing we needed…_

*

   Kuroh wanted to curse when the smoke cleared to reveal Sukuna rather than Yukari. _What the hell happened?_ While he had doubted his abilities to fight Yukari and bemoaned the fact that he wasn’t strong enough to do so on his own, he had been prepared for that fight. He had needed that fight, and it took him a moment to adapt to the fact that something had gone awry. _Yata_ …His thoughts darkened further at the thought that he wouldn’t be able to repay his debts, but he was forced to shove that thought aside in favour of focusing on the boy in front of them. Child or not he was dangerous, and the way that his eyes had just lit up at the sight of Shiro brought a soft growl to his lips, his sword appearing in his hand before he’d consciously thought about drawing it.

*

  It was taking everything in his power for Kamamoto to stick to the plan they’d made as he led Yukari through to where Kusanagi waited, every part of him wanting to turn around and tackled the Green. This was the man that had tormented his best friend, captured him and now forced him to turn his back on HOMRA, and yet he knew deep down that if Yata hadn’t stood a chance against the man the last time they’d fought, there was no way he would fare any better now. He just hoped that their plan worked. If they could stop Yukari they could demand answers as to where Yata was, they could bring his best friend home. _Yata…_

    Spotting Kusanagi up ahead he sped up, hearing the metallic clang of yet another gate slamming down between himself and the pursuing Green. Part of him wanted to stay and watch, but he had to get ahead and warn the rest of their clan about what was heading in their direction, well aware that even Kusanagi would only be hindering the Green at this stage. _But don’t you dare underestimate HOMRA and Anna, especially now that you’ve hurt one of our own._

*

   Fushimi snarled as he realised just how far the Greens had made it through the Tower. Their strength was impressive and to be expected of such high-ranking members, but it rankled to realise that for all their plans they were just being toyed with. Had the Silver King anticipated this? His hands were clenched tightly into fists as he stared intently at the screen, at this rate their plan was going to fail, and he knew that if that happened then their chances of protecting Misaki were going to decrease rapidly.

 _Damn it_ …

*

   Anna had carefully been avoiding Kusanagi’s gaze since he and Kamamoto had re-joined them with the news that Yukari was on the way, internally debating with herself what she wanted to do. On the one hand, she knew that they had to stall him here regardless of anything else. Otherwise, their already tenuous plan would fail, but the question was how far was she willing to take this. She hadn’t been lying earlier when she had said she couldn’t guarantee that she could stay in control when faced with him, and even now she could feel her power rising, begging to be set free to hurt the one who’d hurt her clan. But at the same time, she didn’t want to hurt him that badly. For one he knew where her Misaki was, something that they still had no information about and two… she had always hated fighting, even now she was only fighting because it was the only way to protect what was precious to her, and she wasn’t sure she turn against that and attack with the sole purpose of hurting someone. _But Misaki…_

“Anna…”

   Her thoughts skidded to a halt as the gate on the far side of the room disintegrated, her eyes blazing as they landed on the tall form walking out of the dust cloud. _Yukari Mishakuji, I’m not defenceless this time._ She still didn’t know what she was going to do, but she stepped forwards regardless, ignoring Kusanagi’s worried protest.

“We won’t allow you to go any further,” she declared, meeting his gaze without hesitating, her aura flaring at the smirk that he sent in her direction but remaining under her control. “This is the end of your journey…” She added as she caught sight of the blues moving into position behind him, although she struggled not to shift uneasily as she realised that he didn’t look in the slightest bit fazed by the fact that he was now surrounded or facing a King. _Just who are you?_

*

   _Foolish, how foolish was I?_ Fushimi was cursing loudly in his head. The sight of Yukari seemingly trapped between HOMRA and SCEPTER 4’s forces had given him a momentary hope that everything was actually following their plan. Although he’d had a  momentary panic when Anna had moved forward, as he knew there was every chance she would lash out at the one who had hurt Misaki even if it meant abandoning the plan. However, that hope had been crushed by the alarm that had rung throughout the van and Fuse frantically drawing his attention to the display that monitored Weismann levels. _Nagare Hisui_ …It was far earlier than they had anticipated and he felt dread pooling in his stomach, were they even ready to face this supposedly unstoppable King?

   Another source for concern was that there was still no sign of Misaki. _If they don’t send him in now then what are they planning to do with him? They_ had placed all their hopes on JUNGLE bringing him into this battle, and Fushimi had no idea what they were going to do if that didn’t happen.

_Misaki…_

*

  Anna tensed as a loud rumble shook the tower, but she didn’t dare take her attention off the man in front of her, barely even paying attention as Kamamoto shouted for Awashima’s men to get into position so they could deal with Yukari. _This is the man that had hurt Misaki_ …Her hands clenched and she took another step forward, slowly losing the will to hold out against the urge to punish the man that had taken Misaki from her, but she tensed when Yukari straightened with a slightly surprised expression. _What is he planning?_

“Oh, he’s here already?” *Crimson eyes widened at his words, the rumble from before suddenly making more sense, and the fear that blossomed in her chest matched the shakiness to Awashima’s voice as she demanded to know what he meant. _The Green King. He’s here? But it’s too soon!_ They weren’t ready, and they were still no closer to stopping Yukari or finding out where Misaki was. It was clear that he hadn’t yet appeared as Fushimi had promised to inform them the moment he showed up. _Misaki, where are you_?

   Her attention swung back Yukari as the swordsman let out a disappointed sigh, crimson eyes narrowing as he declared his role was over, but she was taken by surprise when he paused and turned to look at her directly, and she felt Kusanagi moving up beside her.

“I have a gift for you, Little King.”

“Misaki?” She asked before she could stop herself, flames flickering around her for a moment as she struggled not to lash out. _Misaki isn’t a gift! And certainly, not one that you can decide to give!_

“My Little Crow,” Yukari replied with a smirk, which only grew when the entirely of HOMRA bristled at the insult, swirling on the spot as he used his sword to slice away at the floor before turning back and bowing to Anna with a mocking smile. “I hope you will welcome him properly.”

“Why you…” Kusanagi snarled, his cool finally shattering and he moved forwards, but it was already too late. The floor beneath Yukari giving away, and they could only watch helplessly as he disappeared to the floor below, aware that there was no time for them to pursue him now that Nagare was in the building. Kusanagi gritted his teeth as he stepped back and shot an apologetic look at Anna, after all his scolding and warnings he had been the one to lose his cool. “Sorry, Anna…”

“It’s fine,” Anna replied softly, offering him a weak smile before removing her marble from the pocket of her dress and speaking into it. “Saruhiko, did you hear what he said?”

“Yeah, I’m keeping an eye out…”

“Please…”

“I’ll do what I can…but…”

“I know, it might not be enough,” her expression was a mask of grief as she lowered the marble, her gaze shifting back to the hole in the floor in front of her _. I had him in my grasp. Why couldn’t I act?_ Sighing she forced herself to turn her attention away from the hole, aware that her main part was coming up now that Nagare was in the building. She just hoped that Fushimi would be able to do what she couldn’t.

_Please protect Misaki…_

****

   Yata stared at the PDA in his hand for a moment before carefully slipping it away in his pocket, turning his gaze up towards the tower, blank eyes tracing the green blur that marked his new King’s progress through the building. Everything was proceeding to plan, and he had no idea how he felt about that. There had been nothing but numbness when they’d first told him what JUNGLE was aiming for, although he knew that they had missed bits out. He hadn’t even been able to react when he had learned what they wanted him to do. However, now that he was here in front of the tower he could feel that protective blankness beginning to fade slightly, the prospect of what he could be facing, and what he could be throwing away suddenly incredibly daunting.

   Trembling slightly, he let his hand drift up to what remained of his HOMRA mark, slipping his fingers inside his coat and pressing on the mark, the pain helping to ground him. _I’ve already burnt everything away_ … The only thing he had left to lose now was his new clan. If he didn’t act now then he knew they wouldn’t hesitate to toss him aside, he would be left without a place to belong again, and that thought scared him far more than what might lie ahead of him. Lowering his hand, he let green skitter across his skin for a moment before straightening and heading towards the tower.

_I’m JUNGLE now. I have to fight my clan’s enemies. I have to fight…_

****

   It was hard to listen to Kusanagi going over their plan of attack once more, knowing that Yata should have been right there in the centre, and even harder to focus on what was to come now that she knew that Misaki was on the move. However, she knew that there was no other choice, they were at the critical part of their plan now. Everything boiling down to her and Shiro being able to burn out Nagare’s powers, and Reisi being ready to hold him back if he managed to get past them. _Saru, please look after Misaki_. She glanced across at Seri, seeing the worry in the older woman’s face whenever her King was mentioned, and her expression clouded slightly as she realised that they weren’t the only ones with everything riding on this.

   Something tugged at the edges of her senses just as there was another rumble deeper within the tower, and she turned towards the door, eyes narrowing as she warned everyone to get away from the door. She had never experienced his powers before, but she knew that there was only one person that this feeling of power and desire for wanton destruction could be coming from. Nagare…

“He’s coming…”* She stated with a calmness that surprised even herself, silencing their worried questions as she moved clear of them before summoning her own powers. The feel of her red wrapping itself around her was as comforting as ever, and she closed her eyes as she silently pleaded with it to give her enough strength to protect both the slates and her clan. _Mikoto, please lend me your strength too, she_ added silently, her eyes flying open just as the metal gate shattered under the force of Nagare’s entrance, and she just managed to fling a shield up in time to protect herself as he launched himself directly at her.

   However, he didn’t falter for a moment, and they clashed fiercely before his focus shifted to the clansman behind her, and she couldn’t react in time as he darted through them. Their pained cried ringing in her ears as they were tossed aside, and she was caught by surprise as the attack sent rubble raining down on her head, sending her crashing to the floor as well. _Just how strong is he?_ She wondered dazedly as she sat up. She had listened to Shiro’s warnings about his overwhelming strength, but this was more than she had expected, but she couldn’t just stop here. Brushing aside Kusanagi’s worried questions as he raced to her side she rose shakily to her feet, allowing her gaze to drift over her downed clansmen, the anger the sight caused sending anger coursing through her veins and she summoned her flames once more.

_I will stop him…_

*

  Fushimi tensed, fingers halting against the keyboard as his gaze darted to the screen that showed the main entrance to the tower feeling his heart plummeting at the sight on the screen. He had been waiting for this, especially since hearing what Yukari had said to Anna. Although that anticipation had not made the sight of Misaki slowly stepping into the tower any easier to bear, and he felt his breath catch as he took in the grim expression on the vanguard’s face. _Misaki_ …Taking a deep breath he rose to his feet, reaching out to retrieve his sword even as he turned to Fuse who had just noticed the movement on the screen.

“Is that…?”

“I’ll deal with it,” Fushimi snapped as he attached his sword to his belt, trying not to pay attention to the way his hands were trembling. _Can I really do this?_ Misaki’s quiet whisper when he had called and Munakata’s request were weighing him down, and he faltered for a moment, before refocusing on the other man. “Monitor the tower, and wait for news. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Understood,” Fuse still looked doubtful, but thankfully he didn’t argue further, and with a silent nod Fushimi slipped out of the door. Closing it quietly behind him he paused for a moment, taking another deep breath before forcing himself to move, dread and fear pressing in on him in a way that he’d never experienced before, not helped by the nightmares that had kept him awake half the previous night. As he moved his hands dropped to check the knives hidden in his uniform, and the hilt of his sword, wondering if he was really going to have to draw them against the shorter teen and if he could even if the situation called for it.

_Misaki, please don’t make me fight you…_

*

   It didn’t take Fushimi long to catch up with Misaki, although he was no closer to determining whether or not he was capable of him teen by the time he did so, and his hand continued to hover close to the hilt of his sword as he called out to the former vanguard.

“MISAKI!” His voice sounded a lot more level than he’d expected, but he couldn’t stop himself from shifting uneasily as Yata halted mid-step, tension radiating from his frame and Fushimi tensed as well, aware that he had no idea how this Misaki was going to react. Slowly, ever so slowly Yata turned to face him, and the blue felt as though he had been punched in the gut when he got his first good look at him. This wasn’t his Misaki or even the frightened Misaki who had been struggling to hold out against the taunts the Greens were sending him. This was an empty shell of that person, and Fushimi felt a chill race up his spine as he stared into blank hazel eyes and his voice had dropped to a whisper by the time he managed to get it to work again. “Misaki, what the hell did they do to you?”

“S-saru…hiko?” Misaki’s voice was hoarse, as though he hadn’t used it for a while and Fushimi flinched at the sound, in a way that he had never flinched at the vitriol that had often poured from the same mouth. _Misak_ i…I knew that he was going to have changed, but this…He had thought that he’d been prepared for the fact that Misaki was going to be different, but the cold feeling crawling across his skin told him just how wrong he’d been, and a small part of him wished that it was Anna or Kusanagi who were here and dealing with this.

“Misaki, you don’t need to do this,” Fushimi pointed out softly, taking a cautious step forward and carefully removing his hand from its position by his sword, well aware that this Misaki might take anything as a threat at the moment. “We can protect you…”

“No, you can’t.”

“Misaki…”

   Fushimi let out a yelp as Misaki charged, the former-vanguard’s fist colliding with the side of his head a moment later as he was too slow to protect himself from the attack, and he stumbled back, raising his hands defensively as his opponent followed. The terrible blankness in his hazel eyes had been replaced with a mix of terror and anger, but what drew the Blue’s attention was the power now crackling around Yata’s hand as he readied himself for another attack. What exactly had Misaki done? It had been one thing to suspect that he had changed sides, but an entirely different matter altogether to actually see it with his own eyes, and he found himself faltering somewhat at the sight.

“Misaki…” Yata seemed to hunch in on himself at the use of his name, and Fushimi took advantage of the opportunity to draw back to a short distance. “What did you do?”

“I chose…” Pain and anger leached into Misaki’s voice with those words, his eyes hardening as he straightened, his gaze boring into Fushimi who instinctively shifted back another couple of steps, sensing that this wasn’t a good change. “I waited…I hoped, but in the end, I chose. After all, you can’t betray those who’ve already betrayed you, right?”

“What…?” Fushimi cut himself off, watching with wide eyes as green shot out from behind Yata, and it took him a moment to realise that energy was slowly manifesting into a weak imitation of the wings that Anna was able to summon. However, while her wings were graceful and somewhat beautiful to behold, despite his dislike for red - Misaki’s were broken, skeletal looking things that screamed of pain and Fushimi longed to tear them away, his hand slowly dropping back down to his sword, as he realised that Misaki really intended to do this. “Misaki…” _You can’t betray those who’ve already betrayed you? What the hell does he mean by that? What did Yukari tell him?_ He wanted to demand answers so that he could counter them, but the hazel eyes that were studying his every move had regained their previous blankness, and deep down he realised that there was no way Misaki was going to listen to his words right now.

   He was given no more time to contemplate his options as Misaki had launched himself forwards with a soft growl, his movements lacking his previous grace, and yet there was a desperation to them that worried the blue. _What are you fighting so hard for? What are you trying to protect now?_ He didn’t waste his time asking, darting out of the way of the first charge, but he hadn’t anticipated how fast the crow could turn with his new wings and he was forced to draw his sword to block the next blow, wincing as green sparks skittered across his cheek as Yata’s fist narrowly missed him. _He’s really not holding back…_

“Misaki I don’t want to fight you!” He shouted, forcing the smaller teen backwards with difficulty and he was about to spring back when he was distracted by the sight of a small bead of red flickering to life in the centre of Yata’s left wing. _His red_ …It was a weak, feeble echo of the brilliant crimson that had always personified Misaki in his mind, but it was red. _He’s still in there…somewhere_ , he amended as Yata attacked again in a flurry of wild kicks and punches, and Fushimi was forced to defend himself as he tried to work out how to reach out to the vanguard in a way that would break through the defences he had erected around himself.

_Misaki, how do I bring you back?_

*

  Kusanagi was the first to spot the disturbance outside, the flare of green light drawing his attention and he skidded to a halt, the others imitating him even as he darted across to the window, eyes widening behind his glasses as he took in the fight going on below them.

“Yata-chan…” He whispered, taking in the green aura surrounding the teen and he couldn’t miss the irony in the fact that Yata’s new powers seemed to be imitating Anna’s wings to some extent. _Even like this, you can’t forget her…_

“What?” Kamamoto had caught his whisper, moving up to stand next to him and slamming his hand against the window as he took in what the older man had been looking at, sucking in a breath as blue and green clashed violently and Yata was forced back a short distance. “Yata…” Immediately he turned on his heels, refusing to leave this to Fushimi. They were already fighting, how could the blue hope to bring the vanguard back like that? If they were going to get through to him, it had to be through words and their connection as a clan. They had to convince him that they could protect him, that they could undo whatever JUNGLE had done to him.

“Kamamoto!” Kusanagi shouted, well aware of what the younger man was thinking, but they needed everyone they had to ensure the plan worked, and deep down he knew that Anna was right and that Fushimi had more chance than any of them at getting through to Misaki at this stage.

“I’m going down there!” Kamamoto growled, pausing and glancing back at Kusanagi. “We might not get another chance like this!” There was a defiant glint to his eyes as he spoke, and Kusanagi knew that there would be no talking him out of it at this stage…even if they managed his thoughts would be on Misaki and not the battle at hand, and they couldn’t afford for someone to be that distracted.

“Fine…” He sighed, admitting defeat. “Just be careful…”

“It’s Yata…” Kamamoto replied simply, and there was such faith in his voice that Kusanagi couldn’t help but flinch at his tone, and he made no effort to stop the blond as he resumed moving back in the direction that they had just come from. “No matter what they’ve done to him, or what he’s had to do to survive, I don’t for a moment believe that he’s changed completely.”

“I hope you’re right,” Kusanagi muttered, wishing that he could summon up the same level of faith. But he knew that it must’ve taken a lot to convince Misaki to turn against HOMRA in the first place, and while he hadn’t voiced his fear aloud, he was terrified that the crow had already lost too much of himself to come back to them. A deep rumble from above dragged his attention back to the present, and with a heavy heart, he forced his attention back on their current situation, glancing around at Eric and the others as he added more loudly. “We need to meet up with Anna!”

**

   Fushimi was breathing heavily as he dropped back a couple of steps. Usually, a fight like this would have been easy to handle, after all, it was clear that Misaki was at less than full strength after whatever JUNGLE had done to him. Nor, had it escaped the Blue’s notice that he seemed to be in pain from somewhere as every now and then a wince would slip through the blank mask. However, even though all the advantage lay in his side of the court, he was restrained by the fact that there was no way he could fight all out against the Crow. He had briefly contemplated it, but he had dismissed the thought of taking Yata back by force even if it might be better for their side in this conflict. Yata’s earlier words confirming that he had lost faith in them. Capturing him by force, would only compound that problem and drive him further away. No, he had to try and find another way to get through to him.  

_But how…?_

“Misaki…”

“Don’t call me that!” Yata snarled, and for the first time Fushimi was awarded a glimpse of the Misaki he knew, and he noted the way the red spark grew for a brief moment. However, the glimpse was short-lived as the shutters came back down a moment later, and the red vanished completely as he spread his wings wide. “He died…When I made my choice I killed him…”

“No, he didn’t,” Fushimi denied at once, hating the broken tone almost as much as he hated the words, guilt and fear tearing him up inside. _We were too late. We did this by not getting to you in time. I’m so sorry Misaki._ Slowly he lowered his sword, noting how Yata’s eyes traced the movement with a hint of confusion. “You’re still…”

   He trailed off as they both caught the sound of running feet coming from behind Yata, and they both turned towards the sound, although he wasn’t foolish enough to think that Yata had completely taken his attention away from him. However, what he wasn’t prepared for was the sight of Kamamoto tearing towards them with a determined expression, and he wanted to curse at the sight of the blond, well aware that he was too emotional about the whole situation to realise that this Yata wasn’t ready to hear them out. The Red skidded to a halt a short distance away, paying no attention whatsoever to Fushimi, his gaze completely fixated on Yata who had frozen at the sight of him, the green in his wings beginning to flicker and darken alarmingly.

“Stay back!” Fushimi shouted, already knowing that there was no way the red was going to heed his words, and silently cursing Kusanagi for not keeping a better eye on his clansmen. If Yukari had managed to completely twist Misaki’s view of HOMRA, then the sight of any of them was likely to send him completely over the edge that he seemed to be teetering on.

“Yata!” Kamamoto shouted, ignoring Fushimi completely as he slowly moved towards Yata, his arms spread wide to indicate that they weren’t a threat. “It’s us! We can take you home!”

“SHUT UP!” Misaki’s face was twisted with anger and pain, the blankness completely disappearing from his eyes for a moment as the green flared around him and Fushimi didn’t even have time to shout out a warning, instead forced to watch helplessly as the former vanguard whirled on Kamamoto. He saw the blond’s eyes widen with horrified understanding a split second before the green slammed into him, tossing him back into the wall as though he weighed nothing. Fushimi was up and moving before Kamamoto had even landed in a heap on the floor, carefully watching for any sign of a repeat attack from Misaki.

“Damn it Misaki!!” Fushimi cursed as he dropped down beside the blond, not daring to take his eyes completely off Yata as he checked that Kamamoto was still alive. He was overwhelmingly relieved to feel the pulse beating strongly beneath his fingers, not for Kamamoto’s sake, but for Misaki’s as he knew that there was no way the crow would be able to forgive himself if he had truly hurt the older man. _If he can ever get back to normal…_ Gritting his teeth, he rose to his feet, fingers tightening around his sword hilt as he stared at Misaki. Alarmed to see nothing in the other’s face to show that he was aware of what he had just done, and he felt something breaking in his chest at the thought that maybe they really were too late to bring him back. “Are you really that far gone?!”

_Are we really too late?_


	19. Chapter 19

    It was a struggle not to let his expression change at that question. _Am I really that far gone?_ His eyes darkened as he allowed his gaze to shift to Kamamoto for a moment, he hadn’t hesitated for a moment before lashing out at the blond, and nausea welled at that realisation. Right up until the moment that his gaze had landed on his former friend, he had doubted whether he could actually hurt his old clan, and yet he had…without hesitation. His hand rose slightly to press on the burn mark on his chest, using the pain to ground himself and missing the way Fushimi’s eyes widened at the gesture, and by the time he had turned back to the Blue he was completely blank-faced once more as he finally replied to the other’s question.

“Yes.”

   It took a moment for Fushimi to realise that Misaki was replying to his question, and he closed his eyes briefly as the response registered. _Damn it Misaki that isn’t what I wanted to hear_ … However, when he reopened them, he could see that the red spot amongst the green was still there and he forced himself to focus on that. As long as that remained, then there was still something left for him to rescue…as long as that remained they had a chance of bringing Misaki back, and he straightened with a determined expression. _No matter how long it takes, I will get you back._

“I don’t believe that.”

“Why?” Misaki tilted his head to the side, the only sign he gave that he was interested in what Fushimi had to say and the Blue scowled. “Why don’t you believe it? Why do you care?”

“Misaki…” He wasn’t given a chance to finish, as Misaki had moved and this time there was a hint of anger in the hazel eyes as they clashed, and Fushimi cursed as he found himself having to force the smaller teen away from Kamamoto. _Idiot why did you have to rush out here?_ He snarled silently, even though he’d practically done the same to come and face Misaki, and his irritation faded as quickly as it had appeared, and instead, he forced himself to focus on the fight as it seemed that the former vanguard was no longer interested in playing games.

   Green filled his world for a moment, and he found himself staggering back, instinctively flinging a hand up to protect his eyes, only to double over as Misaki’s elbow slammed into his stomach and he had to fight the instinctive urge to lash out in response. Instead, he sprang back a few steps, blinking to try and clear his vision, and only just managing to bring his sword up in time to shield himself as Misaki’s wings shot towards him. _You always were a better fighter when you were calm_ , he thought as he parried the attack, meeting blank eyes and realising that the previous anger had gone with a pang of dread. As long as the crow was at least a little riled up he had stood a chance, but this calm, blank Misaki was dangerous, and his plan of remaining purely on the defensive until they knew what had happened inside the building was looking shaky at best.

   Blocking the next attack, he allowed his aura to flare, just enough to force Misaki back a few paces, although he flinched at the spark that appeared in dull eyes in response to his action. _Damn it Misaki, I don’t want to fight you properly!_ Gritting his teeth, he shot an urgent glance towards the tower, but it appeared that the fight had moved to the top now so there was nothing for him to see and he didn’t dare shout out to Fuse to find out what was happening, well aware that Misaki would seize any such opening and exploit it. Praying that the Kings would wrap things up fairly quickly, he shifted his attention back to Misaki just in time to stop another blow, hissing as Misaki’s fist caught the side of his cheek, green sparks lashing against his skin and he hastily forced the other away yet again.

_Anna…Munakata…please hurry…_

****

   Anna felt her temper flaring when Nagare greeted her with a smile as she drew alongside him with ease, and she ignored his apology for his entry, his grin telling her that he was satisfied with her actions and she knew that even if he hadn’t targeted her clan…her Misaki…then she would still have wanted to stop him from taking the slates, and her eyes narrowed as she studied him, part of her wanting to lash out straight away and punish him for the pain that he had helped to inflict. However, she had to try and talk to him one last time, if only to buy them some more time as she doubted very much that he would be willing to listen to her. Sure enough, he brushed aside her attempts to ask him to stop, before he turned to look at her properly, a mocking smile twisting his lips and making her shift away slightly in preparation for an attack.

“I am disappointed to see you here,” he commented as he darted up through the stairwell, and she hastily followed suit, knowing that she couldn’t afford to let him get away from her, even though she had a sinking feeling as to where his words were going. “It appears as though you really have abandoned your vanguard.”

“We will never abandon Misaki,” Anna replied, her aura flaring in response. _Misaki, please believe that_ , she pleaded silently, wondering if even now he was in the tower as Yukari’s parting words echoed in her mind, and it took all her efforts to refocus on Nagare. “But I won’t let you have your way. The slates are not something that you can play with and Misaki. My Misaki would agree with that.””

“Ah, but he’s not your Misaki anymore,” Nagare taunted, and Anna felt her temper snap as she shot forwards, overtaking him and dropping down in front of him, spreading her wings so that she was blocking the entire corridor. _I won’t let you get away with this._

“I don’t believe that,” she replied firmly, sending a wave of flames towards her opponent. Mikoto help me stop him, she whispered as she poured all her strength into the flames, drawing on her memories of his flames, as she knew that it would take all her strength to halt him hear. _I will make him fear our red…Misaki’s red_ …For a moment it seemed to be enough, his momentum ceasing as he landed, but there was no satisfaction to be had from that fact because even from where she was stood she could feel his power still burning brightly.“Stop this. Return my clansman and end this foolish war,” she ordered, ignoring his praise of her flames, wanting nothing more than for this to be over so that she could focus on her missing vanguard.

“He’s a member of JUNGLE now. Therefore I cannot return something that belongs to me,” Nagare replied with a smirk, and her flames dimmed slightly as the taunt hit home. They had known that was probably what had happened, but hearing it confirmed was something else altogether, and she felt her eyes stinging slightly. _Misaki_ …However, she wasn’t given time to dwell on that as Nagare had seized her momentary distraction, his power flaring as he shot towards her, little more than a green flare and she barely managed to block him as they collided. “And I will not stop here, not with the slates within reach.”

   Desperately she fought to hold him at bay, but she found herself falling back more and more until finally she was flung backwards by the force of the lightning that slammed into her and she could only watch through slightly dazed eyes as Nagare shot towards the Slates chamber.

_Reisi…_

****

   Both Fushimi and Yata froze as they noticed the new Sword of Damocles materialising above them, for which the former was grateful as there was no way he would have been able to defend himself in that instance as he gaped up at the top of the tower. Damn it what the hell is going on? How can there be a fifth King here? He knew that was definitely part of the main plan, let alone their back up, and an uneasy feeling swept over him. No wonder JUNGLE had been so confident if they had a second King on their side. The Grey King, his mind supplied. However, that thought brought a fresh spark of anger as it reinforced the fact that they hadn’t needed Misaki. What had been done to Misaki hadn’t been essential to their plan, and his lips drew up in a snarl. Why? Why was it necessary to do this?

   However, it seemed as though Misaki hadn’t expected this development either, and he forced his anger back so that he could focus on the other teen, hoping that this might give him the opening he needed to get through to Misaki.

“It looks like you didn’t expect this either,” Fushimi commented as he took in the startled expression that had appeared for the briefest moment on Misaki’s face as they both stared up at the new Sword of Damocles, although compared to his own strained expression, the former vanguard seemed largely unconcerned by this development. Where’s the Misaki who always demanded answers? Who always wanted to know what was going on regardless of how inconvenient it was? His hand tightened around his sword, well aware that his next words could backfire badly. “Didn’t they trust you enough to tell you? Don’t you see, you’re just a pawn to them?!”

“So what?” Misaki asked with a shrug, wings flaring even brighter as he turned back to Fushimi and his expression seemed oddly lighter than it had a moment before. “Who cares if I’m just a pawn?”

“Misaki…” It had always been Fushimi who had felt that clansmen were nothing more than pawns in the games their Kings played. Yata had always vehemently insisted that they were far more, and in HOMRA even Fushimi had to admit that was true, especially now that Anna was the Red King, which made it even worse to hear such calm acceptance from Misaki.

“As long as I have somewhere to belong…” Misaki said softly, and his hand returned to his chest once more, and Fushimi’s eyes narrowed as he caught the gesture and the flicker of pain that appeared when Misaki pressed on it. What are you hiding? A sneaking suspicion was already forming at the back of his mind, and he was hard pressed not to reach up and scratch at his own scar, praying that his suspicion was wrong…and it took him a moment to realise that Misaki had continued. “As long as I have that, it doesn’t matter if I’m just a pawn.”

_Misaki…_

****

They had failed.

   Anna’s expression was solemn as she stared at the spot where the slates had sat only minutes before, unable to shake the memory of the last time she had been here. Her hands clenching as she tried hard not to be overwhelmed by how much had happened. How much had changed since Misaki had stepped in front of her to protect her, but Nagare’s taunts echoed in the back of her mind, and she had to close her eyes. _Misaki_ …Blinking back tears she turned around, coming up short as she realised that Reisi had disappeared in the confusion, her expression tightening with concern as she knew that he had been more badly injured than he had been letting on. _Reisi, what are you doing?_ Usually, he would have remained here and waited for his clansmen, and she doubted that it was just defeat that had made him leave, and she worried at her bottom lip. She knew that he hadn’t been entirely behind this plan and she had a feeling that he had a backup of some kind. Something involving Fushimi, and her eyes narrowed in concern. _Saruhiko…_

“Anna! Yata-chan is here!” Kusanagi shouted as he burst into the slate room a moment later, having left the others to help SCEPTER 4 contain the scene as soon as they got word that the plan had failed. As serious as that was, he knew that Anna’s primary concern was Misaki, a thought confirmed by the speed at which she turned towards him and the hopeful expression on her face.

“What? Where?”

“Fushimi’s keeping him busy at the moment and Kamamoto went to find them,” Kusanagi replied urgently, well aware that JUNGLE would probably get Yata to withdraw soon, hesitating for a moment before lifting the marble that he was still holding as he added softly. “But I can’t get hold of him.” He hoped that Yata wasn’t the reason for that, but he had a sinking feeling that he was, and from the way Anna’s eyes had widened in alarm, her thoughts had followed a similar path.

“Shiro…?” She asked turning to the Silver King who was still stood staring at the sky above them, although it was clear that he had been listening because there was a terse, understanding smile on his lips as he turned to her.

“Go, I know he’s important to you, and there’s nothing more we can do here today.” There was a defeated edge to his voice that worried her, but for the time being she had to focus in Misaki, besides she could see Kuroh and Neko moving to join them and she trusted them to support him. Offering him a small smile, she inclined her head in thanks before gesturing for Kusanagi to lead the way, and they took off at a run as the sense that time was running out pressed even closer.

_Misaki, wait for me…_

****

  Fushimi had noted the swords disappearing over their heads and the helicopter disappearing with the slates dangling beneath it, and dread had washed over him. _We failed._ In all honesty, it wasn’t that unexpected, as there had always been a high likelihood of that happening, even though many of them hadn’t been willing to acknowledge that fact. _But we never expected a fifth King, or for Misaki to be this bad…_ He added as he was forced to dodge another attack, his attention snapping back to Misaki who didn’t seem to care that the rest of JUNGLE had probably evacuated the tower and left him behind, and he fought back the urge to point it out. As irrational as it might be after everything had already happened, he didn’t want to hurt the other teen. Although that left him floundering, as it was more than apparent now that words alone were not going to get through to him, and there was a sinking feeling in his gut that they were going to lose Misaki again.

“Misaki…”

“Shut up!” He wasn’t sure whether Misaki had worked out that he’d been left behind, or the name, or just the fact that he was still trying to reach out to him, but the former vanguard’s expression was twisted into the same one he had worn when Kamamoto had appeared.

   _Don’t look at me like that_ , Fushimi thought desperately, but he wasn’t given a chance to do or say anything as Misaki was suddenly on him, wave after wave of green slamming into him and he could barely move his sword fast enough to block them. A sharp cry of pain escaping as he missed one and it slammed into his shoulder, his sword clattering to the ground as he grabbed it, grimacing as he felt blood beginning to trickle down his shoulder and the pain sent him down onto one knee. _Damn it Misaki,_ he cursed silently, lifting his head to look at Misaki and struggling not to react to the blank stare being levelled at him. _Misaki…_

   Biting his lip, he tried to force himself back to his feet as he realised that Misaki had no intention of leaving it at that. His panic leant him speed, but he had barely managed to stagger upright before another wave of green shot towards him, and he knew that there was no way he was going to be able to dodge it. Still the there was no emotion on Misaki’s face, nothing to show that he was aware of the fact that he was about to seriously injure if not kill him and he found him squeezing his eyes shut in defeat. _Misaki, I’m sorry_ …However, moments before the blast would have hit him, a familiar aura swept over him, and his eyes flew open just in time to see a familiar blue light collide with Misaki’s, shattering it completely and he froze for a minute as Misaki barely managed to step out of the way of the attack.

   Fushimi unfroze turning to find his King stood behind him, and he had to bite back a curse as he took in the broken sword in Munakata’s hand. That wasn’t part of the plan. He had already known that the main plan had gone awry, but he had never expected it to go that wrong and he opened his mouth without thinking, only to be cut off by the sharp glare he received from his King and his words died on his tongue. _He still intends to go through with this_ …Numbly he inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement, although given that Misaki’s attention was now riveted on Munakata he could have done a lot more and he wouldn’t have noticed.

“It would appear that there was more than one traitor in HOMRA,” Munakata’s voice was cold as he looked the former vanguard over, and even though he knew that this was part of the plan, Fushimi flinched slightly at the words. _He’s not a traitor. This wasn’t something he would have chosen if he had another choice_ , he wanted to point out, but he knew that now wasn’t the time and instead he shifted his attention back to Misaki who had chuckled softly in response.

“Traitor?” Yata asked, lifting his hand and allowing green sparks to skitter across his skin, and Fushimi was struck by the lack of emotion in his face. Yata had never been able to forgive the Blue King for leading Fushimi ‘astray’, and he had never done anything to mask that anger or dislike, but there was no hint of that now as he met Munakata’s gaze without hesitation. “I suppose I am.” _You’re not supposed to say that so calmly,_ Fushimi wanted to scream at him. It had always hurt when Yata had used that word against him, but he had accepted it because he knew that was what he was, at least in the vanguard’s eyes. But hearing Misaki say it about himself, and so calmly was far worse than having the name levelled at himself. “But…I was the one that was betrayed first.”

“Oh?” Munakata hummed, lips quirking slightly as he glanced across at the downed HOMRA member behind Fushimi. “It would seem that Mishakuji Yukari was quite effective in his efforts to turn you.” Fushimi caught the flicker in hazel eyes that met that taunt and knew that it had hit home, and he wanted to snarl at the older man. He had been hesitant about agreeing to this plan in the first plan, but he had agreed that it was necessary, however at the moment it seemed as though his King was lashing out far more than necessary. _Just what happened up there?_

“That’s enough,” he couldn’t stay silent as the hurt didn’t fade from Misaki’s eyes, although his expression remained as blank as ever. “He’s not the enemy.”

“Then why were you fighting him?” Munakata demanded turning to look at Fushimi, who sighed, hesitating for a moment as he glanced towards Misaki and then across at Kamamoto before replying softly.

“To stop him from doing something that he will regret.”

“I think it’s a bit late for that,” Munakata pointed out, gesturing towards Kamamoto’s still form, before turning his attention to Yata and his tone hardened as he spoke to the smaller teen. “Yata Misaki as a member of JUNGLE I trust that you are prepared for this?” Fushimi’s eyes widened with horror as he realised what the older man was doing, and he was moving before Munakata had finished lifting his broken sword towards Misaki, blue light flaring as his King released his aura once more.

“NO!” Fushimi shouted, darting forward and throwing his daggers ahead of himself despite the flash of pain that raced down his side from his shoulder, and faltering briefly as he realised that the last time he had done this, it had been against Yukari. However, he swiftly rallied, funnelling his aura into the protective barrier just in time to disperse his King’s attack, and then he was in between the pair, eyes narrowed as he glared at Munakata. “I won’t let you hurt him!”

“Step aside Fushimi,” Munakata ordered levelling his broken sword at Fushimi, his gaze fixated on Yata who was watching their interaction with blank eyes, seemingly uncaring of the fact that Fushimi had just protected him. That he was still trying to protect him, and his eyes narrowed. _What did JUNGLE do to you?_ When they had formatted this plan, it had been with the expectation that the vanguard would be used against them…but not that he would be this broken, and despite everything that was resting on this, he found himself hesitating, especially as he caught the concerned look that Fushimi was shooting towards the former-red. However, he tightened his hold on his sword before forcing himself to continue. “We need to know what JUNGLE is up to, and he can give us that information.”

“And then what?” Fushimi demanded. “What will you do then?”

“He’s a traitor…”

“Stop! What are you doing?!” The sudden shout startled them both, and they turned to find Anna and Kusanagi dashing towards them, and Fushimi wanted to curse. This wasn’t part of the plan, and he doubted that he could rely on either of them to play along. Not that he could blame them, especially as he saw how Anna’s eyes were fixated on Misaki as she came to a halt beside Munakata, barely sparing the other King a glance, although her mouth was set in a thin line as she did so. _Damn it, why is nothing going to plan…_

“Anna…”

“Misaki,” Anna cut across him, her eyes pleading as she took a step towards Misaki, struggling not to burst into tears as she took in the green wings stretching out below him. _Your beautiful red_. She hadn’t missed the small crimson spark still lingering in the depths of the green, but it terrified her to see how little of his red remained and her hands curled into fists. _Yukari what did you do to him?_ Now that she was faced with Misaki she wished that she allowed her temper to get the better of her when he had been right in front of her, however, she pushed that thought aside as she gazed pleadingly at Misaki. “Misaki…please. Please come home.”

“You have no right to ask me that!” Misaki’s expression had finally lost all traces of its former blankness as he stared at her with hard hazel eyes, fury and hurt warring for dominance as his wings flared brighter than before. “No right…” They were afforded the briefest glimpse of tears swimming in his eyes before a wave of green swept towards them, Fushimi barely managing to fling himself out of the way, although a moment later Anna’s aura flared to protect them all.

   When the light cleared, it was to find that there was no trace of Misaki, and Fushimi felt his heart sink as he glanced around hoping that he would be able to find some hint as to where he’d gone. But with his green powers, there was no telling what else Misaki was capable of and there was nothing immediately visible, and he sighed, gripping his shoulder once more as he leant back against the wall.

“Misaki?!” Anna shouted, not as willing to accept the fact that Yata had disappeared, trembling at the realisation of how close they had come to her nightmare from days before and there were tears on her cheeks as his expression flashed through her mind. “Misaki!”

“Anna…he’s gone…” Kusanagi was the one to approach her, although he didn’t look any better as he rested a hand on her shoulder. He’d had a bad feeling about what Yata’s presence here could mean, but he had never truly thought that it would be possible for the teen to attack Anna. Even though it seemed that the wave had been more to divert their attention, there had been enough power behind it that it could have caused considerable damage if Anna hadn’t been as quick to react as she had been.

“But…”

   Fushimi’s attention had shifted to his own King, realising that the older man was staring at him with intense eyes, and his mouth dropped open slightly as he realised that even now Munakata was sticking to their plan. _Stubborn fool_ , he thought with a hint of bitterness, but he knew that they had little choice, especially now that Misaki had disappeared again. Getting closer to JUNGLE might be the only way they got another chance at bringing him back. _If it’s not too late_ …It was hard to cling to even a shred of his previous hope after everything that had happened, but there was no way he was ready to give up on Misaki until they knew for sure and so he straightened, ignoring the blood on his hand as he whirled on Munakata.

“What the hell were you thinking?” He demanded, finding that it wasn’t too hard to drum up anger towards the man even if he had just protected him only moments before. Some of the words that he had said to Misaki echoing in his mind, and he clenched his hands. “You knew that we were trying to rescue Misaki! You knew that his part in this wasn’t voluntary in the slightest!” _You were cruel, unnecessarily cruel_. The rational part of his mind knew that if it had been towards anyone else he could have accepted it, but he couldn’t ignore the hurt in Misaki’s eyes.

“A traitor is a traitor,” Munakata countered calmly, sheathing his broken sword in a smooth movement before turning to look at the tower for a moment, his expression darkening for a moment before he turned back to Fushimi, glancing across at Anna for a moment before adding coolly. “I never agreed to your plan.”

“Is this what happens when you’re defeated?” Fushimi snarled, he hadn’t missed the fact that Munakata was injured and he wished that he’d had a chance to find out what had happened, somewhat concerned that he was rubbing salt into wounds that he didn’t fully understand. “You lash out like an angry child?”

“Reisi…Saruhiko…” Anna whispered, pushing through her grief as she turned to look at the arguing pair in alarm, worried that they were both going to say something that they might regret. Only to pause as she caught the odd glint in Munakata’s eyes, and her eyes narrowed as her early suspicions came rushing back to her. _What are you trying to achieve?_

“Anna let’s go,” Kusanagi murmured softly, also watching the arguing pair with calculating eyes, although there was more than a hint of anger as he listened to what Munakata was saying and he had to take a deep breath before continuing. “Kamamoto needs medical treatment, and I don’t think this is something you can stop.”

   Anna hesitated for a moment before nodding reluctantly as she heard movement from behind them, realising that the rest of SCEPTER 4 were heading towards them and realising that they didn’t want to be caught up in this, although her gaze lingered on Fushimi for a moment. _Saru_ … Finally, though she allowed Kusanagi to pull her aside, hoping that they weren’t going to regret this as she turned her attention to Kamamoto, a heavy feeling in her chest as she realised that Misaki must’ve been the one to do this and she couldn’t stop herself from glancing back at Fushimi.

_Please be careful Saruhiko…_

****

The next morning:

   Kamamoto groaned softly as he came too, his head pounding and he was reasonably sure that there wasn’t a part of his body that wasn’t aching. What the hell happened? It had been a long time since he had been in this much pain, and it took him several minutes to gather his scrambled thoughts, and when he had he wished that he hadn’t as all he could see now was the sight of Yata standing in front of him surrounded by green, his face twisted with anger. _Yata-san…_ His eyes were stinging as he slowly forced them open, unsurprised to find Anna hovering over him with a worried expression, and he tried to force a smile for her sake, but he knew that it came out as little more than a grimace. _How can I smile when Yata…when Yata…?_

“Rikio…” Anna whispered softly reaching out to brush his hair out of his face, crimson eyes

shimmering with tears as she caught the pain in his gaze.

“I’m sorry,” Kamamoto whispered, hating the thought that he had worried her yet again, slowly pushing himself into a seated position despite her protests. “I screwed up completely…he…” _He was so different_. He had thought that there was no way that Yata could ever change to that extent, but the expression his best friend had given him, and his hands curled into fists in his lap. _Yata, what did they do to you?_ Even now he refused to believe that was really what Yata had wanted, and there was a spark of anger at the thought that the Greens had hurt him enough to push him to some actions.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Kusanagi’s voice startled him, and he looked up, realising that he was laid out on the sofa in the bar and that the older man was leaning against the bar. They were the only ones there at the moment, although from the pile of glasses and dishes at the end of the bar the others had been there recently.

“But…”

“He attacked us as well,” Anna said softly, and Kamamoto forgot all about his protests as he turned to look at her with wide eyes. _Yata attacked Anna_? He knew that had been one of her biggest fears after having nightmares about it, but he knew not one of them had ever thought that it was possible, and a quick glance at Kusanagi confirmed the truth of her word. “I never thought I would see Misaki like that.”

“Anna…” He breathed softly, wishing that he knew what to say to comfort her, well aware that the fact that they were sat here with him meant that something had gone wrong. That Misaki had got away from them again, and his expression darkened at that thought. If he was this bad already, what was this more recent failure going to do to him? “What happened? Did we…?”

“JUNGLE got the slates, and Yata-chan disappeared again,” Kusanagi reported grimly, and this time Kamamoto noted the dark shadows under the older man’s eyes as he nudged his glasses aside to rub at his eyes before adding quietly. “We failed completely on all accounts…”

“But Fushimi…”

“Has also disappeared,” Anna replied softly, and there was a worried frown on her face as she glanced towards the table that Fushimi had been using for the past few weeks, and he blinked at her in horror. Fushimi disappeared? While he still wasn’t overly fond of the blue, he didn’t particularly want anything to happen to him, especially after he had spent so much time and effort helping them to try and find Misaki.

“What?”

“He was arguing with Munakata when we left,” Kusanagi took over as Anna’s expression darkened, well aware that she blamed herself for not staying and trying to calm the situation. Although they both agreed that it had been something that the blues needed to sort out themselves and that they had more than enough issues of their own to sort out. “Apparently it got even more heated after that, and he stormed off…perhaps to join JUNGLE based on what Seri-chan told me.” He scowled, unable to remember the last time she had sounded so worried about anything, and he wondered if Fushimi had any clue how much he meant to his own clan.

“But…” Kamamoto shook his head, unwilling to believe that even Fushimi would go that far after everything that had happened with Misaki, but he could see no hint of doubt in either Anna or Kusanagi’s voice, and he growled softly. “That Traitor…”

“Rikio,” Anna shushed him quietly, reaching out to rest a hand on his arm when he opened his mouth to protest further. “I don’t think it’s that simple.”

“We suspect it was a backup plan in case the slates were taken,” Kusanagi explained as he caught the confused expression on the blond’s face. _At least we hope it is_ , he added silently as he glanced across at Anna, worried about how she would take it if it turned out that Fushimi had actually turned traitor. “But we can’t be sure. So if we encounter Fushimi, we will have to be careful, because he could be an enemy, or we could endanger him by acting recklessly.”

“But…”

“At least Misaki won’t be alone anymore,” Anna said softly, and her eyes were glittering as she glanced up at them. “Even if Saruhiko has betrayed us, I don’t think he would do anything to harm Misaki.” She hadn’t been able to forget the brief glimpse of Misaki’s tears, and the thought of him out there on his own - because she doubted very much that JUNGLE cared for him, made her want to cry. Even if Saru truly had betrayed them, which she prayed was not the case, she knew that he would have been thinking of Misaki as he did so, and she hoped that he would be able to get through to him.

“I hope so,” Kamamoto muttered, unable to place as much faith in Fushimi as they were. “What are we going to do now?” It was hard to care about what was happening with the slates with everything that was happening with Misaki, but he knew that they had to, if only because it might give them another chance to go after Yata.

“No idea,” Kusanagi replied with a sigh, fumbling slightly as he fished out a new cigarette and lit it, taking a deep draw of it before continuing. “Munakata was injured so it will be a couple of days before he can act again, and I believe the Silvers are struggling with this loss. Until we are able to locate JUNGLE or they make their next move, I think we’re more or less on standby.

_I’m sorry Yata-chan…_

_Fushimi I hope you know what the hell you’re doing…_

****

   Fushimi sighed as he stared up at the SCEPTER 4 headquarters, missing the feel of his sword hanging from his waist and his hand slipped down to check that his knives were in place, his other hand tightening around his PDA as he glanced down at the JUNGLE homepage. Already he could feel the minor tingle of E rank powers under his skin, and it was hard not to recoil from the sensation. While there had been a time he had wanted power above all else, and to some extent he still felt that power was more worthwhile than needless feelings, he didn’t want this power. This was the power that had turned Misaki against them and that he had vowed to take down, and yet here he was.

   He just hoped that their performance at the tower and his history with Misaki was going to be enough to convince the Greens when he finally managed to reach them. If it didn’t then, he knew that there was no way he would be allowed to walk out of there, and that would mean that Munakata’s plan would fail…and worse, in Fushimi’s mind at least, it would potentially endanger Misaki. At the Tower, the fact that he might appear had thrown them off their game, and their fight had just been an added distraction, but there was no guarantee that would be needed in the future, and he didn’t trust Yukari not to dispose of his prize if it outlasted its usefulness. It was that thought more than any other that forced his revulsion towards the green aura to the back of his mind and propelled him forwards.

_Misaki wait for me…._


	20. Chapter 20

   _What have I done?_ Misaki had held himself together long enough to get back to the base, slipping away from the party that was underway by the time he had returned. Even the feel of Yukari’s gaze boring into his shoulders hadn’t made him stop. He had nothing to celebrate, and the thought of being the rest of the Greens made him nauseous. Reaching the relative safety of his room he shut the door firmly behind himself, wishing that it was as easy to shut out the memories as it was to shut out the world, however briefly. The door had barely clicked shut before the strength drained out of his legs, and he twisted so that he sank down with his back resting against the door.

_What have I done?_

   His eyes were stinging fiercely, but the tears refused to fall. He had known what he was walking into, what he was being asked to do. Yet at the same time, he hadn’t had a clue what that would really entail. He’d thought that his anger and pain would be enough to get him through it, that they would be enough to stop his actions from tearing apart. _I was wrong, so wrong…_ Desperately he slammed his fists against the floor, trying to block out the images of his fight. _Why? Why did it have to be them?_ He closed his eyes, trying to block out the image of Kamamoto being flung backwards, of Fushimi going down clutching his shoulder…of Anna’s face when he had attacked. _It doesn’t matter, they betrayed me first…I chose this_ , he was barely aware of the fact that he was clawing at his destroyed mark again, the pain lost in his emotional toil, and somehow the defences felt weaker than ever.

_What have I done?_

_I’m so sorry._

****

One Month Later:

   It had been a stroke of genius on Munakata’s part to suggest making use of Douhan, and Fushimi had to wonder just how much time and effort his King had put into thinking up this plan. _So much for a hastily scraped together backup plan._ He had to admit that in a way it was a relief, as he hadn’t been able to bring himself to focus on the thought of what was going to happen if everything went pear-shaped because that would have meant admitting that there was a chance they were going to fail. A possibility that Misaki was going to slip through their fingers again. _We failed…_ He hadn’t been able to sleep properly since then, unable to get the former vanguard’s words and expressions out of his mind.

_Misaki, what the hell happened to you?_

   He knew that the same fate could await him. No matter how much he wanted to trust in his own skills and the fact that,, Munakata himself had chosen him for this task, he knew that there was no way it was going to be that simple. JUNGLE had no reason to trust him and even his act. Not that it had all been an act - back at the tower might not be enough to make them give them a chance. _But I have to try…for Misaki…for Munakata…_ He glanced down at his PDA, pulling a face at the number of missed calls and messages he had received in the last couple of days. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to look at most of them. He might have agreed that this was necessary, but the thought of being considered a traitor again sat uneasily in his chest. Moreso than he had ever thought possible, and he didn’t want to see the angry words and accusations. The only one he had read had been from Kusanagi, or rather from Anna, four simple words that had reassured him that not all bridges had been burned.

**_I believe in you…_ **

   Sighing he leant forward and grabbed his coffee, taking a sip and grimacing as he realised it had grown cold while he was distracted by his thoughts, and he was contemplating ordering another one when his PDA pinged again. Abandoning his drink, he shifted his attention back to it, clicking open the alert that had appeared and smirking as he saw the points next to his name had shot upwards again. _She does work fast…_ He just hoped that it was fast enough, every day that passed more and more people were developing powers. Powers they couldn’t control, and as far as he could tell there had been no sign of Misaki since then, and he couldn’t help but fear that the other teen had been punished for his failure to take any of them out of the tower. _Misaki…_

   One more mission. All it would take was one more large mission, and he would have amassed enough points to reach J-rank. To be on the same level as Yukari. His lip curled up at the thought of the older man, his skin crawling at the idea of having to play nice with the one that had hurt Misaki, but he would do it if he got the chance that was. _If they don’t just dispose of me straight_ _away_. He couldn’t entirely quell the doubts, and even the quiet confidence his King had shown when he’d first suggested this plan was enough to silence them _. I hope you know what you were talking about…_

_“Tell me do you think Isana Yashiro’s plan will work?” Munakata asked after a moment, sitting back as he gestured at the notes in front of him. “Is this enough to stop JUNGLE?”_

_“I…” Fushimi had intended to say yes, but he found himself hesitating as his gaze returned to the annotated plans, remembering the doubts that had assailed him during the meeting. He hadn’t voiced them back then, knowing that they needed to be unified if it was going to stand a chance of working, and refusing to introduce a sour note that might endanger Misaki. As much as he wanted to see JUNGLE stopped, and as much as he acknowledged his responsibility to SCEPTER 4 and his King, at the moment it was the missing vanguard that was his focus. “I don’t know…”_

_“There is a chance that it will work, even I will acknowledge that,” Munakata replied with an odd look of satisfaction on his face, and Fushimi’s eyes narrowed, feeling as though he had just played right into the older man’s game without knowing the rules. “However, I believe that it would be wiser to cover all bases.” Fushimi felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as comprehension began to dawn. However, he kept his expression carefully blank as he settled back in his seat before asking coldly._

_“What does that have to do with me?” He should never have asked he realised a moment later as he took in the way his King’s lips quirked up, and the determined glint that had entered Munakata’s eyes as the older man lent towards him._

_“If we fail to stop JUNGLE at the tower, I want you to infiltrate their clan.”_

_Fushimi blinked, disbelief most prominent in his emotions at how easy the older man had made it sound and the fact that he had chosen him of all people to try and give this mission to._

_“Are you kidding me?” Okay, apparently he wasn’t as in control of his thoughts and mouth as he had thought, although he liked the think that the events of the last few weeks at least justified him to be a little bit out of sorts. “What makes you think that would ever work? I…”_

_“You’re the best choice,” Munakata cut him off, and the complete and utter lack of doubt in his voice silenced Fushimi. Why? Why do you have this much faith in me? He knew that Awashima at least had always harboured some lingering doubt about his loyalties, and deep down he couldn’t really blame her, and yet the blue eyes watching his told him that the older man meant his words. “If things go wrong I want you to walk away from me. Blame me for the failure, and turn to them. With your past, it would be believable.”_

_“There is no way JUNGLE would buy that,” Fushimi pointed out shortly, clicking his tongue when Munakata silently arched an eyebrow at him, silently demanding an explanation. “I’ve been working with HOMRA to get Misaki back, they won’t believe that I will just turn my back on all that.” Privately he knew that if it hadn’t been for that, his past history would have been enough to make them think that he could turn his back on the man in front of him. Especially for power, and there was an odd feeling in his chest at that realisation, and he found himself unable to look at the older man. Could I really betray him? There had been many times when he found himself wondering why he followed a King at all, and yet now he was being told to walk away, even if it was for the sake of a plan…and it unsettled him._

_“Then we will need to make it believable,” Munakata had seemed unperturbed by his protests, and Fushimi narrowed his eyes, not liking the older man’s tone, and there had been more than a hint of suspicion in his voice as he demanded to know how his King was going to make that happen. Getting the feeling that he probably wouldn’t like the answer._

_“How do you intend to do that?”_

_“I have my ways,” Munakata replied in such a way that the younger man knew that he wasn’t going to get a sensible answer out of him, and he gritted his teeth. He had never been one for following nonsensical orders, and he at least preferred to have an inkling of what he was getting himself into. However, as he met his King’s gaze, he already knew what he was going to say. “Will you do it Fushimi-kun?”_

_“Yes…”_

   He blinked, glancing down at his PDA once again before sighing. No matter his doubts he had to admit that everything had played out so far, and slowly he got to his feet. _One more mission and then the game really begins_ …Tossing some change onto the table he headed for the door, slipping his PDA into his pocket.

_Wait for me Misaki…_

****

   Yukari listened with amusement as Sukuna raged about the fact that Fushimi Saruhiko was likely cheating to rise through the ranks so quickly, before turning his gaze to the silent teen sitting hunched up in the far corner of the room. It had taken nearly a week after the events of the tower before Yata had finally emerged from his room, although he had barely interacted with them since then and his face had been a mask of pain when Yukari had complimented him on the show he had put on. The older man had taken great pleasure in seeking out the footage of that battle, and he hoped that his Crow would get another chance to face his former clan and King before their victory was completely secured.

“It would appear that he is aiming for J-rank,” he commented as he shifted his gaze back to the screen for a moment. Impressed to realise that the former-blue had managed to amass enough points in such a small amount of time, his lips curling up in a smirk as he realised just how close Fushimi was to reaching their rank. Unable to resist taunting his pet he turned his gaze back to Yata, waiting until the teen sensed his gaze and lifted blank hazel eyes to meet his. “I wonder why that could be? What do you think Little Crow?”

“He wants power, that’s all he’s ever wanted,” Yata’s voice was flat, with no outer sign of bitterness and Yukari almost wished that he could see what thoughts were going through the Crow’s head. Still, that answer was as good as any, and it didn’t seem as though they would have long to wait to find out and he hummed as he settled back in his seat. _Perhaps our rematch will come sooner than I thought_. Although he doubted that Fushimi would risk anything too soon, not after the way he had acted back at the tower. Now that had been an interesting performance, and he couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice as he glanced at the former vanguard once more.

“I wonder…”

“You think it’s a trick?” Iwafune asked with a frown as he glanced up from where he was studying the screen that Nagare had brought up. He had been forced to admit that Yata had proved a useful distraction, but he had made it clear that even now he didn’t fully trust the teen and Yukari knew that, that suspicion was going to extend to Fushimi if…or rather when he got this far.

“Possibly,” Yukari allowed with a shrug. “However, I believe it would be worth waiting to see just what he plans.”

“I have no objections,” Nagare commented with a smirk as he studied the screen, shooting a sideways glance towards the silent teen in the corner, before turning his attention back to the screen he was “Skilled players…cheats…pawns…they all make the game far more interesting, and there is little one person could do to stop us at this stage.”

“But…” Sukuna protested.

“Sukuna-chan,” Yukari interrupted, earning a scowl from the boy as he immediately bit back the rest of his words, and he merely arched an eyebrow at the expression before continuing. “We have time to kill before the final stage, let us enjoy our games. You can always be the one to take him down if he steps out of line.” His eyes flickered towards Yata once more, but there was nothing to show that the teen had heard him, let alone that he cared about what they were discussing and his smirk grew. It would be interesting to see if his blank façade would hold up when Fushimi was right there in front of him.

_What sight will you show me this time, Little Crow?_

*

   Yata could feel Yukari’s gaze lingering on him, and it was harder than he thought possible to keep his expression blank as his skin crawled at the sensation. No matter how far he had fallen he would never be at ease around the older man, and he couldn’t stop himself from huddling into his corner, wondering what on earth had possessed him to leave his room. I didn’t want to be alone anymore. As painful as it was to be in this room, constantly reminded of his choice, it was better than being on his own in the room where his faith had been stripped away. Here at least he could hide from his thoughts for a few minutes at a time at least. Although as nausea welled up, he wished that he had just endured the memories, for today at least, unable to stop his gaze from drifting to the screen where Fushimi’s picture was still highlighted.

_What the hell are you doing Saru? Don’t come here…please don’t come here…_

****

   _Damn it, why did it have to be them? Fushimi_ hadn’t wasted any time in choosing the last mission to give him the points he wanted, well aware that it wouldn’t be long before JUNGLE made their next move and knowing that he had to be in place by then. Besides he wanted…needed to see Misaki. He needed a chance to apologise for the words that Munakata had said, because no matter how necessary they might have been to the plan and no matter how unaffected the teen had seemed, he knew from experience that words like that burrowed under the surface and that it was impossible to get rid of them on your own. And he needed to make Misaki understand that he did have something to come back to. That no matter what he had done to survive, he still had a place to belong that wasn’t at the side of his captors.

   However, what he hadn’t been anticipating was finding himself face to face with Awashima and Kusanagi, and for a moment he had faltered, the announcement from his PDA that he had just reached J-Rank hanging in the air between. The supposed Ice woman of SCEPTER 4 actually looked heart-broken as she stared between the green light now crackling around his hand and his face, and it took all his resolve to glare back at her as he moved into the light. It wasn’t any easier to meet Kusanagi’s searching gaze, and he wondered if the older man suspected that there was more to this than a repeat of his past behaviour. Part of him hoped so, but a larger part was worried about the older man blowing his act. He was too close now to let that happen, and with new power coursing under his skin he forced himself to attack, unsurprised when it didn’t hit.

   Kusanagi immediately dove in to protect Awashima, sending a slight twinge through Fushimi as he recalled doing the same when Suoh had escaped from custody. However, he didn’t have time to consider the similarity, as the older man’s flames were whipping to him and he realised that he had no intention of missing or pulling his punches in the slightest. Green light appeared at his feet, and he felt Douhan’s hand on his back, pulling him out of the way just in time. As they disappeared through the floor, Fushimi couldn’t resist meeting the older man’s gaze, silently trying to convey that he wasn’t the enemy, but he had no chance to see if the message had got through.

**

   A month. It had been a month since they had failed to stop JUNGLE from taking the slates. A month since she had finally been able to set her eyes on Misaki, only to be faced with his anger and pain and then to fail him yet again as he slipped away. It was hard to keep moving forward with those failures weighing her down, but what choice did she have? She was the Red King, and sooner or later she knew that they would have to face the Greens again. And with Munakata more distant than ever, and politics swirling around him, and Shiro’s silence as he frantically tried to find a way to counter Nagare’s plans, she had to be ready. _But it’s hard. Harder than I ever thought possible,_ she thought as she glanced across at the pictures on the wall. It had been hard enough to look at the images of a smiling Misaki when he was just missing. Now it brought tears to her eyes every time she saw it, unable to block the image of his anger when he’d rejected her plea to come home.

  _Misaki, what did they do to you?_

   Only now it wasn’t just him that she was worried about, and her expression darkened as her thoughts turned to Fushimi. He wasn’t her clansman, and in the past, he had hurt Misaki, but more recently he had given everything he had to try and find Misaki, and she couldn’t…wouldn’t forget that. By now they all knew that he had joined JUNGLE as they had constantly been monitoring the Green’s network in the hopes of getting a hint to what was happening with Misaki, and it had been painful to watch how quickly he was rising through the ranks. More than one of her clan had cursed him, believing that he was just staying true to form and she knew that at this point it was only herself and Kusanagi to a certain extent who thought that there was more to it than that. It was why she had tried to reassure the former Blue that she had faith in him, although she had no idea if the message had got through. _Fushimi, please…please help Misaki…._

   She was in the process of listlessly turning back to the notes that Kusanagi and Kamamoto had been compiling on the new strains that had been appearing in their area, wishing that she could actually bring herself to care about it as much as she knew she should be. _Misaki_ …However, she had barely lifted the top sheet when the door to the bar burst open, and a frazzled looking Kusanagi stepped inside, and for a moment she could only blink at him. She had known that he was attending a JUNGLE sponsored event with Seri to gather information, but she hadn’t seen him before he left, and he looked almost like a completely different person. However, she hastily dismissed that thought as she caught the troubled look in his eyes.

“What happened?”

“We lost the information,” Kusanagi muttered, sinking heavily into the seat opposite and fumbling in his pocket for a cigarette, finally managing to pull it out and light it, taking a deep draw before continuing grimly. “Fushimi destroyed it…” To be honest, he had known that there was a possibility that their paths would cross, after all, JUNGLE had been a step ahead of them from the start, and it made sense that they would have someone standing by to protect their data. _But why did it have to be him?_

“Saruhiko?”

“He’s reached J-Rank,” he replied grimly, unable to keep the anger out of his voice as he recalled the pain in Seri’s eyes at that announcement. Pain that had become more pronounced after Fushimi had attacked them. She had spent the past month worried sick about the teen even though most of the time she had done an admirable job of hiding it, and he knew that this development had been a hard pill to swallow…for both of them, and he hesitated for a moment before adding softly. “Anna…I’m not sure we can place our hope in him.” For a moment he had thought that there had been something else in Fushimi’s eyes, but he didn’t know what to believe, especially as the information they had lost had been valuable.

“What choice do we have?” Anna countered softly, unsurprised by his words, as although he had agreed that there must be something more to Fushimi’s defection, there had always been a hint of doubt behind it. Grimly she gestured at the map they had pinned to the wall, now covered in red pins to mark places that they’d checked out as a possible base only to come up empty-handed every time. “We’re still no closer to locating their base, and Misaki…” _Misaki hates us, and I don’t know why_ … She knew that part of it was due to their failures, but there had been more to his anger, More to the pain in his eyes than that could account for and her aura flared slightly. _Misaki…_

“Anna…”

“I won’t lose faith in him,” she cut across him, not wanting to hear his reasoning for doubting Fushimi because she couldn’t afford to let her resolve to waver at this point. “Not until we have conclusive proof that he’s really betrayed us.”

“But…”

“Please,” Anna turned pleading eyes to him, and he fell silent as he caught the sheen of tears in her eyes as she stared at him. “I need something to hold on to.” Her gaze returned to the photos on the wall, and her hands curled into fists against the table. “We failed, and at the moment there’s no guarantee that we will be able to get the slates back. There’s no guarantee that despite all our promises, that we’ll be able to bring Misaki home. So what else can I do?”

   Kusanagi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, torn between wishing that he could convince her to let go of her overwhelming faith in Fushimi for fear that it would hurt her in the future if they were proven wrong…and giving way, and allowing her to have this one hope. In the end, it was the latter that won out, and he reached out to rest a hand gently on her head.

“All right.” I just hope that neither of us regrets it, he added silently to himself as she offered him a trembling smile, reaching up to rub at her eyes before replying.

“Thank you…”

_Fushimi, please…_

****

   Fushimi took a deep breath as he approached the coordinates he had been sent a short while after reaching the final rank, wondering what was going to be waiting for him. Seeing his former clansmen had shaken him more than he’d thought, and all his earlier doubts had surged to the forefront of his mind once more, especially as there was no going back at this stage. _Misaki_ …His hand tightened around his PDA before he slipped it into his pocket as the door he had been informed about came into sight, and his breath caught in his throat as he heard it beginning to open. _Waiting for me huh?_ He knew that they had been watching him for the past few weeks so he wasn’t terribly surprised, still he didn’t like the idea that every move he made was being watched as it made it even more likely that they would anticipate his movements. _What the hell have I got myself into this time?_

   Deep down he had known that it would be Yukari they sent to meet him after all this was just a game to them and they must be aware of his animosity towards the man. However, apparently that expectation hadn’t prepared him for the truth of finding himself face to face with the man, and for the briefest moment, his mind had darted to the knives concealed within his clothes, wishing desperately for his sword _. I hate you_ …His mind snarled as the older man smirked at him for a moment before stepping aside, gesturing for Fushimi to step inside with a flourish. Outwardly though he managed to keep his expression completely blank, drawing satisfaction from the brief flicker of disappointment that passed over Yukari’s face as he silently stepped inside, although he had to hide a flinch as the door closed behind him.

_There’s no going back now…_

   He remained silent as he followed the older man, barely listening to what Yukari was saying as his sharp eyes took in every inch of their surroundings. No wonder they had never managed to track down JUNGLE, he had never even been aware of this tunnel system, and he doubted that HOMRA was either and he wanted to curse at the thought that the answer had been beneath their feet all this time. Although taking in the level of security that he could see, well aware that there was probably more that was hidden from sight, he knew that it was highly unlikely that they could have burst in even if they had found the place. _So this was the only way…_ Bizarrely that thought made him feel a little better, even as it added to the pressure weighing down on him as he realised that he was probably the only thing that could get them into the base. _No pressure…_

“Fushimi Saruhiko,” Yukari’s voice cut through his thoughts, and he finally focused on the older man, praying that his expression hadn’t given away his thoughts, although he took the fact that Yukari’s hand was nowhere near his blade as a good sign. For now, he added silently as he caught the smirk playing across the other’s lips and the knowing look in the eyes boring into him. Still, there was too much riding on this for him to let something like that faze him, and he managed to maintain his disinterested expression as he replied.

“What?”

“Why are you here?” Yukari asked, and Fushimi blinked at him, struggling not to stiffen at the question. _Is he onto me? Or just testing the waters?_ “I’m sure you haven’t forgotten our encounter in the Tower. I always thought that the next time we met, you would have a sword in your hand.” _Don’t tempt me,_ Fushimi thought darkly, the urge to reach for his knives growing by the moment, and he forced himself to focus on the memory of the faith in Munakata’s eyes to hold himself in check. _Not yet, wait until the right time comes_ …He knew that he might never get the chance, especially if things were awry, but the thought soothed him, and he straightened with a shrug.

“Power,” he replied simply, lifting his hand and letting green play around it, before raising his other hand and letting a little of his blue appear. “Munakata Reisi failed, plain and simple and there was no point in remaining with a weak King.” Despite his lingering anger for the words the Blue King had levelled at Misaki, he couldn’t help but silently apologise to his King for his words. Slowly curling his fingers into fists as he buried his power once more, meeting Yukari’s gaze without hesitation as he waited for the older man to respond, not liking the lack of surprise in his face.

“I see,” Yukari hummed, wondering for a moment if that was really all there was to it. In all honesty, he had expected some sign of the Blue’s former animosity towards him, but so far there hadn’t been a crack in the blank mask he was being shown. He had caught the way the teen had stiffened at his question, but he knew that as a traitor it was likely Fushimi would be wary of his reception, regardless of whether or not he had ulterior motives. Still, he knew that power wasn’t the only reason and that at least one other reason was currently holed up in his tiny room a few corridors away. “But that’s not the only reason is it?”

“What do you mean?” Fushimi asked.

“I have someone you want,” Yukari replied, smirking as he finally got a reaction, Fushimi’s eyes widening slightly for a moment before he got his expression under control once more.

“Misaki…” Fushimi wanted to curse the older man for mentioning the vanguard…former vanguard…the mocking edge to the comment raising his hackles, but he forced himself to take a deep breath before allowing his lips to curve up into a tight smile. “I won’t deny it. His presence here was also a factor in joining JUNGLE.” There was no real harm in admitting that much at least, after all, he had no doubt that JUNGLE had been watching his efforts to find Misaki, and he knew that they must’ve watched the fight at the tower. Otherwise, there was no way he would have even got this far.

“Have you come to save him?”

“He joined you didn’t he?” Fushimi asked, struggling not to let his anger seep through as he recalled the way Misaki had been scratching at his chest, fairly sure that he knew what that had meant. Yukari gave a small nod in response, and it was harder than ever not to growl at him. _Not willingly…there’s no way he joined you willingly, so don’t look so smug about it!_ Instead, he shrugged carelessly, making sure not to look away as he continued. “Then no, I’ve come to join him. We’ve been friends and enemies for a long time, that holds more sway than any King ever could.”

“Interesting, you didn’t strike me as the sort to be loyal to anyone,” Yukari taunted, seeming to contemplate something for a moment and Fushimi didn’t like the smile that spread across his face, but he remained silent at the older man seemed to finally reach a decision. “Nagare-chan is waiting to greet you, but I think we can afford a little detour.” _Nagare-chan? Just what kind of clan is this?_ He wondered for a moment, before focusing on the latter part of Yukari’s words, dread pooling in his stomach.

“A detour?”

“Yes,” Yukari replied, but he didn’t elaborate on what the detour was, instead smirking as he added quietly. “One that I’m sure you’ll appreciate.” With that parting shot he turned on his heels and resumed walking, and with nothing better to do, Fushimi followed him silently, dread pressing in on him as he stared at the swordsman’s back.

_What am I getting into?_

*

   Yata hadn’t been able to bring himself to join the others today, unable to bear the fact of seeing the screen that showed the spread of his clan’s influence, or to see if Fushimi was still climbing the ranks. Instead, he was huddled on his bed, gazing blankly at the floor as he thought to keep his memories at bay, but no matter what he did he couldn’t forget what he had done. It didn’t help that whatever sleep he did get was punctuated by nightmares, continually rehashing the events at the Tower. Only in those dreams, it was Anna calling him a traitor, or images of her and Kamamoto dead in front of him, the green surrounding them laying the blame squarely at his feet…of Fushimi taunting him for doing the same thing he had once shouted at him for doing.

_I am a traitor…_

   Slowly his hand crept up to scratch at his chest. The burn was still unhealed despite being treated nearly every day because he couldn’t leave it alone, and when he had finally been able to bring himself to look at it the day before, it had looked worryingly inflamed and yet he couldn’t bring himself to care. It always hurt, his clothes rubbing against it with every breath he took, but the pain was welcomed. He deserved it. It was a reminder of what he had done…penance for his betrayal _. Can you betray someone who already betrayed you?_ His fingers dug deeper against the burn, his eyes tearing up as pain lanced through his chest.

“Yes…” He whispered, and he was about to scratch again when he heard movement on the other side of the door, and he immediately lowered his hand, terrified that the action would be misconstrued as him swaying back towards HOMRA. _As if that’s even a choice anymore…_

   He couldn’t prevent himself from flinching back against the wall as Yukari stepped into the room, unable to forget the pain he had endured because of this man, even if his treatment had improved since he gave up. Now he was little more than a pet, but it was better than nothing, even if it didn’t stop him from fearing the older man. Brown eyes met his for a moment, and he didn’t like the knowing expression on Yukari’s or the smirk that was playing on his lips, he knew all too well that nothing good ever came from that smirk. However, his thoughts skidded to a halt as there was more movement behind Yukari, and his breath caught in his throat as he found himself meeting painfully familiar dark eyes. _No…_

“Little Crow it seems we have a new member,” Yukari declared cheerfully, stepping back so he could take in both their reactions, impressed that even now Fushimi was managing to look fairly impassive as he stared at the huddled teen on the bed, although he seemed unable to look away.

   More interesting was his Crow’s reaction, the hazel eyes wide with pain as he stared at Fushimi and for the first time in over a month he had lost his battle against his tears.

“Why? Why are you here?”

_Saru, why would you do this? Why are you here after everything I said and did…why?_


	21. Chapter 21

_Misaki_ …

   Fushimi had recognised the room he could see beyond Yukari from the video they had been sent, and anger blossomed as he followed the older man inside, noting that the door hadn’t been locked with narrowed eyes. _They broke you that much?_ Part of him had hoped that there had been something more to the fact that Misaki had been out and about without supervision, that there had been something stopping him from trying to escape or help HOMRA. But the unlocked door quashed that hope, and his expression tightened, torn between anger at what had been done to the vanguard and fear about how they…how he was going to undo the damage. _Misaki._..

“Little Crow it seems we have a new member.” He had to take a deep breath as he heard the hated nickname, waiting hopefully for the angry growl that Misaki had always greeted that name in the past, but there was nothing but silence, and it was difficult to keep his face impassive as Yukari stepped aside, allowing him to see the huddled form on the bed. _Misaki_. He managed to keep his expression even, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away, his anger fading away as he watched hazel eyes widen and fill with the tears that Misaki hadn’t been able to shed when they’d fought at the tower. How he wanted to close the distance between them and wipe them away, but he couldn’t, not yet…it was too soon to break cover. If he acted too soon then, Misaki would be in even worst danger, and he couldn’t let that happen, although his resolve nearly broke here and then when Misaki finally spoke.

“Why? Why are you here?”

   _Because you’re here,_ he wanted to say, but he couldn’t, not with Yukari stood there watching them both with a smirk playing on his lips, and he had never wished for his sword as much as he did at that moment. _I will take you down_ …Instead, he merely straightened with a shrug, forcing his lips into a grim mockery of his usual smirk as he stared down at the former vanguard _. Don’t hate me for this…_

“I thought you knew me Mi-sa-ki?” He drawled, hating the flinch that went through the vanguard at his use the old nickname and feeling more than a hint of dismay at having to use it again, he had enjoyed their revived closeness before Yata had been taken, but he didn’t let his expression waver. Instead raising both hands and allowing blue and green to play across skin, seeing the horror in the hazel eyes as he stared at the green. It was just further confirmation that Misaki’s choice to join JUNGLE hadn’t been a willing one, and he hesitated for a moment before adding softly. “I want power.”

_I want to take you home._

“But…” Yata whispered. “Munakata…” _Anna_ …He knew that he had no right to speak. That he had no right to protest but damn it, even as hurt as he was by the thought that they had abandoned him, he didn’t want Saru in this place. He could feel the power of the Slates seeping through the base, and he knew that it wouldn’t be long before his clan’s plans reached fruition, and he knew that would bring more fighting. That he would have to face Anna and the others again, and he didn’t want Fushimi in the midst of that, he didn’t want the possibility that Yukari would force him to hurt them again…hurt him again...because he could see it in the older man’s eyes as he glanced between them, there were more games brewing. _It’s just a game, but I don’t want you to be a pawn in it…_

“Failed,” Fushimi snapped. _Why are you trying to protect me?_ Despite the conflicted emotions in Yata’s eyes, he knew that was what he was trying to do, and he could see the terror that appeared when Misaki glanced across at Yukari. He desperately wanted to reassure him, to make him see that he didn't need to fear the older man anymore. _Don’t worry, I won’t let him hurt you again_. But he couldn’t say that, and he scowled as he buried his hands in his pockets once more, shrugging carelessly. “The alliance was a failure, and I want no part of that. If JUNGLE is the way forward, then that is where I want to be.”

_Did you really think I wouldn't come for you?_

“You…”

“I think that’s enough for now,” Yukari interrupted with a smile, and Fushimi had to fight not to lash out as the older man’s hand came to rest on his shoulder. Wary of letting him so close although it seemed as though he was content to play along for the time being despite the knowing look in his eyes as he met Fushimi’s gaze for a moment. “Stay here Little Crow, I need to go and introduce our newest member to the others.”

   Misaki’s expression twisted for a moment, clearly not liking that idea but he didn’t protest, and he made no effort to try and follow as they turned to leave. Fushimi risked a glance back just before the door closed, and he was dismayed to see the blank mask slide back into place as their gazes met for a brief moment, and he closed his eyes as the door clicked shut behind them before forcing himself to follow the older man.

_Misaki, please just wait a little longer._

*

 _Saruhiko._ Yata buried his face against his knees as he heard their footsteps moving away from his room, reaching up to swipe angrily at the tears. _I broke my promise_ …But then that seemed to be all he could do at the moment, and his hand dropped to his chest, scratching at the ruined mark which had been stinging fiercely the entire time Fushimi had been in the room. It had been a foolish hope, but a small part of him had hoped that Fushimi had been there because of him, but the mocking version of his name and his hunger for power had rolled so easily off his tongue. _Why? I thought you had found a home with the Blues? I thought you were changing…_

“I should have known better,” he scolded himself bitterly as he lifted his head to stare at the spot where Fushimi had been stood, the old anger and sense of betrayal surging back to the surface. _Yukari was right, hoping only makes it hurt worse…_ Yet even as he told himself that, and even as he felt his heart trying to harden itself once more as green skittered across his skin, he couldn’t stop him stretching out a hand towards the door.

_Please…_

_Saruhiko..._

**

   It was a game, the whole thing was nothing more than some twisted game, with Misaki, and probably himself cast firmly as pawns in the middle of it. Fushimi’s temper had been simmering close to the surface from the moment they had left Misaki behind, made worse by the fact that Yukari had seen fit to regale him with the story of how he had broken the vanguard as they walked. It was one thing to suspect what had been done to Misaki, another to hear it spoken aloud in that mocking tone, and his fingers itched to reach for his knife. He might be able to do it. He might have the chance to kill the older man if he acted quickly enough, but he knew that it would be the last thing he did if he acted now, and so he forced himself to listen. Letting each word…each smirk…each chuckle brand itself into his memory, silently promising Misaki that he would pay Yukari back for each once, even as he kept his expression impassive.

   For his part, Yukari had to admit he was impressed with Fushimi. He was reasonably sure that there was more to this defection that what the prickly, former Blue had admitted to, but he didn’t mind. It was just another layer to their game, and if Fushimi turned out to be a true ally he would be a valuable addition… _if not Sukuna will get a game of his own to play_. Still, he couldn’t help but be curious. It was the most emotion he had seen from his pet in some time, and yet the teen beside him was completely calm even now he knew what had been done to the vanguard. _Why does he matter so much to you Little Crow?_ Perhaps once the next stage was complete, he would get a chance to explore, but still, he couldn’t hide his curiosity as he studied the younger man. _What kind of man are you?_

   By the time they reached the main room, Yukari had his curiosity back under control, although he had to laugh at the disgruntled expression that appeared on Fushimi’s face when he was greeted with a party-like atmosphere and streamers landing on his head, shaking his head slightly when Nagare sent him a questioning look. He didn’t have the evidence to prove that Fushimi was an enemy, and he was reluctant to bring the game to a halt to soon, his King evidently of a similar mind because his lips had stretched into a welcoming smile as he turned his attention towards Fushimi.

   There was no hiding his disgust at the greeting, and he was glad that he had cultivated his previous personality as it wouldn’t seem out of place. _You’re welcoming me like a long lost friend after what you did to Misaki?_ The whole thing was a farce, and yet as his eyes drifted over the four people in front of him, he could see that they would fight for one another. At least there is something real to destroy here. It was hard to ignore the slates that he had glimpsed out of the corner of his eye, their power thrumming through the air and instead he forced himself to focus on Nagare…His King. _For now_. He didn’t look like much in this form, none of them did, but he wasn’t fooled in the slightest. The destruction at the tower and the changes in Misaki too close for him to forget what they were really capable of.

“Thank you for coming, Saruhiko,” Nagare was smiling as he greeted him if there were any suspicions in his mind about Fushimi’s loyalty they were well hidden. The Grey King, on the other hand, wasn’t as good at hiding his wariness, despite the welcoming expression on his face, and Fushimi flicked a brief glance towards the older man for a moment. “I’m delighted.” I’m sure you are, Fushimi sneered to himself but wisely held the words back, instead muttering an awkward thanks, silently wishing that he was back at SCEPTER 4. At least he knew what to expect from those idiots, or that was what he was telling himself as he allowed the Greens to usher him into a chair.

Munakata, I hope you know what you’re doing, and I really hope I know what I’m doing…

****

   Anna sighed as she stared out over the city, with JUNGLE having adopted a backseat while they waited for the slates to wake she had been able to convince the others to leave her be, although Kamamoto, in particular, had been reluctant to let her go. Both of them fearing Misaki being sent after them again. Her hands clenched at her sides. _Misaki…_ It had been so long since they had heard anything from him, and now even Fushimi seemed to have disappeared from sight _. Are you both safe?_ She tilted her head to the side, eyes stinging as they landed on the spot where Totsuka had died, unsure of why she had chosen this place as her refuge to think. There were so many painful memories here. Tatara dying…Misaki…Crimson flared around her hands as she let her aura out to play, and she sighed, that was why she had come.

“Tatara. Mikoto. I’m going to help destroy the slates,” she whispered softly, staring down at the red dancing around her hands, imagining dancing butterflies and fiery lions in the depths. _Can you see us? Do you know what’s happening_? Part of her liked to think so, not wanting to admit that they were gone forever, while another part hated the thought that they were able to see what was happening. That they could see her failures to stop JUNGLE. To protect Misaki. Her hands curled into fists, the flames fading away to tiny sparks that dissipated into the sky. “I’m going to give up the red you both loved so much. I know you wouldn’t want that, but…” She hesitated for a moment, remembering the pain that had flickered across Kusanagi’s face when she had told him that she was going to help Shiro. That she was willing to give up this red if that was that it took, and she knew that the others felt the same although they had stayed quiet when she’d told them what was happening. It was because of them that she could risk this pain. “This red was meant to protect my family, now the only way to protect them is to give it up.”

_I’m sorry._

   Turning she let her gaze drift over the city, wondering just how many people had been affected by the slates already and how many people would suffer before they could bring this situation to an end. _We have to destroy them, to protect everyone._ Slowly her eyes settled on the distinctive SCEPTER 4 building, and her expression tightened with concern. _Reisi_ …She had hoped that calling him out earlier would ease some her fears, but instead, she feared what this situation might lead to, and yet they needed his help. This could only work if the three clans helped one another, and there had been a hint of concern behind his composed expression when he had glanced across at where Fushimi had worked in the HOMRA bar, which told her that he had more than just his own life on the line. _Saruhiko_ …It had reinforced her belief in the missing Blue, although she hadn’t dared to ask for the truth and he hadn’t volunteered the information.

“Mikoto…please help Reisi,” she whispered as she lifted her eyes to the sky once more, losing herself for a moment in the memory of blue and red clashing. _Please…_ As much as she wanted to help him, she knew that Munakata would never accept it and that there were others, closer to her heart that needed her protection. “Please protect him, so I can protect them.” Sighing she glanced across the city once more, hating the fact that despite the plan they were preparing to set in motion they were still limited to waiting for the Slates or JUNGLE to move…

_Misaki…Saruhiko…please be okay._

*

   Kusanagi sighed as he wiped the bar, wondering why he was even bothering at this point. For the first time in a long time, he was entirely on his own, and it made the battered state of his beloved pub even harder to bear. Some of the others had offered to help him start on the repairs, but as much as he wanted to bring back the old HOMRA, there was a part of him that felt they couldn’t. Not until everything was resolved and Yata was back with them. _But_ …His hands ceased their habitual path across the bar, eyes dark as he glanced at the wall of photos _. Can we really bring him home now?_ He knew that Anna and Kamamoto were still stubbornly clinging to that hope that they could bring him home, but he wasn’t so sure, not after seeing the Yata they had faced at the Tower.

   _We might bring him home, but will it be our Yata?_ He hadn’t missed the look in Fushimi’s eyes when he’d looked at the vanguard back then, and wished that he’d had a chance to know what had happened between them. To know what Yata had said to put that kind of expression on his face. _Is there still anything of our Yata left to bring home?_ His hands tightened against the bar for a moment, before he stepped back and fumbled for a cigarette, knowing that he needed to bury those doubts again before Anna returned. Pausing in his motions as he brought his lighter up, the dancing flame reminding him that they stood to lose much more than a single clansman and there was a slight tremble to his fingers as he killed the flame, leaving the cigarette unlit.

_Can we really give up this red?_

*

_Yata…_

   Kamamoto’s expression was grim as he stared around the small flat. It had been weeks since he had ventured out here, but he had needed to feel close to the missing vanguard, especially now that their final chance was hanging over them. It hadn’t been spoken aloud, but they all knew that if they failed this time, then it would be game over. There would be no stopping JUNGLE, and no bringing Yata home. His hands tightened as he bowed his head, unable to erase the image of Yata’s face twisted with rage no matter how much he wished he could. _Yata, what did they do to you?_ He had resumed searching for his best friend the moment he had been declared fit to move around, not caring that it might be dangerous. Not caring that Yata might be the one to attack him again. All he wanted to do was make sure the vanguard realised that they hadn’t given up and that they wouldn’t give up.

_We’re coming for you, whether you want us to or not…so please…come back to us._

****

   It had been hard not to rush back to Misaki’s room the moment he found himself alone, especially since they had granted him complete freedom to wander around the base as he saw fit. But he knew that they would be watching. They had seemed perfectly welcoming, and they had willingly let him close to the Slates even though he had only just joined them, but they weren’t fools, they had more than enough reason to suspect him, and it was that knowledge that stayed his hand. _One chance…_ There was no way he would be given another, especially since Sukuna was already searching for any opportunity to take him down and he knew that Yukari was waiting for him to tip his hand. _What the hell was I thinking taking this mission? It_ would be a miracle if he got out of this one alive, no matter how much faith he wanted to have in his own skills and he brushed his fingers against the knives hidden inside his jacket. _As long as I can get him out…_

   It was that thought that gave him the strength to resist the urge to seek out the other teen, and instead, he set off in the other direction. The slates were nearly awake, and he needed to be ready, which meant finding the heart of their defence and praying that he would get the time to do what needed to be done.

_Just wait Misaki, just a little longer…_


	22. Chapter 22

   Fushimi had felt the rising power of the slates as he wandered around the base, carefully avoiding poking too far into anything or venturing out in the direction of Misaki’s room. It was a countdown he couldn’t ignore, and it meant that he had to be careful that his actions were taken as suspicious, but that meant that he was going slower than he wanted to, and he was irritated but unsurprised when Sukuna came to bring him back to where the Slate was. _It’s coming_ …The air was practically saturated with power now, power that he had only previously associated with Kings and he knew that meant that the countdown was nearly at an end, and his hand tightened around the PDA stashed in his pocket. _I need more time_ …He had a rough idea of where the control room was now, but he would have preferred to know for sure, but he had a feeling that he wasn’t going to have a chance for that now and he wanted to groan or rub Munakata’s face in just how ‘easy’ this job was.

_“Once inside I need you to find a way to let us know where you are, and to get us access to the base as I am sure they will seal it off if they have the slates in their grasp.” Munakata said firmly, and Fushimi found himself once again gaping at the older man’s ability to make nearly impossible jobs sound so simple, and he had to bite back the urge to snap at the older man._ _Easy for you to say, you’re not the one who’s going to be in there on your own. However, he didn’t say anything. He had already agreed after all, and to be honest, he knew that he probably was the only one with a chance of carrying this out. He just wasn’t as confident about the chances of doing it and getting out again. “You don’t need to fight, just get us inside and then you can focus on Yata Misaki.”_

   _Open the gate and get Misaki out of here…simple right?_ How he wanted to laugh at that thought, but instead he was struggling to stop himself from lashing out at the brat who was doing his best to needle him. Nearly losing it completely when the boy mocked Misaki, and his fingers inched towards his knives before he managed to stop himself, although thankfully Sukuna was too busy regaling him with the fight he’d had with the former vanguard to notice and after a moment he forced his hands away. _Just a little longer…_ He hoped that he was going to get paid extra for this torture. Maybe he could claim mental trauma or something when he finally saw his King again. The thought of Awashima hitting the roof if he came out and asked for that and the calm smirk Munakata would probably send in his direction helped to distract him until they reached the main room, where his attention was drawn to two things.

  Firstly, Misaki was there, although it looked very much like he wanted to be anywhere else, shrinking as far away from the others as possible without drawing too much attention to himself and Fushimi felt his hackles rise as he noticed the mocking smile Yukari was sending towards the vanguard. For a brief moment, hazel eyes met his gaze, and he caught the fear and uncertainty flickering through them, although it disappeared behind that damned blank mask yet again and Fushimi swallowed back the urge to shout at him. _Soon. Soon I’ll have you out of here…I hope,_ he added grimly, biting his lip as Misaki turned away from him.

   With difficulty, he turned his attention to the main event - the slates. They had been glowing earlier, but now it was blinding, and he narrowed his eyes at the greenish tone to the light… JUNGLE…His eyes darted around, but he knew that there was no way to stop this from happening, and he listened with half an ear as his new clansmen discussed what was going to happen. _A World of Kings?_ He clicked his tongue, hating the mere thought of it and not just because of his general dislike of Kings. It would be a nightmare, and a quick glance towards Misaki showed that the Crow agreed with that assessment, but there was nothing to be done just yet, and he closed his eyes as the light intensified before shooting into the air as a pillar and he knew that his time had just run out.

_Damn it, there’s not enough time._

**

   Anna sighed as she sipped the glass of water that Izumo had passed her, listening half-heartedly as he spoke to the Silvers on the phone. The pain from the slates awakening had been unexpected, and it had happened far sooner than she had expected and she couldn’t quite shake the fear that it was too soon. _Are we even ready?_ Her hand trembled slightly as she set the glass down, letting her red dance across her skin for a moment before clenching her hand, _soon I won’t be able to do that anymore_. She had expected there to be more a sense of loss, but that was still to come. All she could focus on now was that they were out of time…HOMRA, the Silvers, SCEPTER 4…Reisi. If they were going to have any chance of turning this around it had to be now, and she just hoped that Misaki wasn’t going to be lost because of that. _Saruhiko, please get him out of there…_

“The others are going to meet us at the airfield,” Kusanagi said softly, and she jolted slightly as she glanced up at him, wondering when he had finished his call. His expression softened, and he visibly hesitated for a moment, fidgeting with his lighter for a moment before asking. “Are you ready for this?”

“Yes.” _No…_

“Anna…”

“Even if I’m not,” Anna paused glancing down at her clenched hand, trying to imagine a world without her beloved red and finding herself having to close her eyes for a moment. _I love this red…Mikoto’s red…Misaki’s red…my red…but…_ Her hands tightened as she forced her eyes open once more, meeting his gaze without hesitation. “What choice do we have? I don’t want to lose this red. I don’t want Mikoto and Tatara to watch me give up the red they loved so much. But…”

“It’s the only way,” He finished for her, and she nodded silently. He was relieved in a way to know that she wasn’t rushing into this decision. Still, it hurt to see her having to make that choice, especially after seeing how much that red had come to mean to her over the years, and he reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder as he added softly. “You know…no matter what happens today, you will always be our King. HOMRA is your family, your clan and that won’t change even if Shiro is successful in his plan.”

“I know,” Anna whispered, and she really did. But it was nice to hear it said aloud, and she reached up to gently squeeze the hand resting on her shoulder before forcing herself to her feet. Even if I lose this red, I’m not losing what’s most important, and that’s all that matters. Taking a deep breath, she straightened, checking that her marbles were safely tucked away within her dress before adding. “Let’s go.”

_Misaki hold on…_

**

_Fushimi…_

   Munakata’s expression was tight as he headed towards where the pillar of light had originated from, hoping that their desperate ploy was going to pay dividends. If it didn’t then everything was likely to come to an end on the street above JUNGLE’s base, the soft sound of Zenjo’s steps a short distance behind reminding him that, that might be the case regardless of whether the teen was able to find them a way in or not. _‘You’re not like Mikoto,’_ Anna’s words from earlier were echoing in the back of his mind, and he felt his lips quirk up slightly, wasn’t he? His sword was at the brink, even without his sanctum activated he could feel his control slipping. He knew that he shouldn’t be marching straight into a fight, especially against another King, as he had no doubt that the Gray King would seek him out and yet just as Mikoto had, he was going to do it all the same.

_Let’s just hope I get a different ending…_

**

   Kuroh’s expression was grim as he watched Shiro talking to Kukari, silver eyes darting around the school, his hand tightening on his weapon every time there was another outburst. _Chaos. Is this what you wanted Yukari?_ He had never understood the older man, he’d never been able to see what it was that Yukari was aiming for, but this…he hated the thought that someone he had watched considered his senior…his clansman…was willing to help bring about a world like this, and yet there was no denying it as he recalled the way Yukari had smirked when discussing how the Green’s would sweep everything away in front of them.

_I should have stopped him earlier._

   Rationally he knew that it wouldn’t have made much difference. No matter how talented the older man was, he was just one weapon in JUNGLE’s sheath, but it would have made this final battle easier. It might have protected Yata Misaki. His grip tightened even further. He had seen the footage of the battle at the Tower, and he hated to imagine what Yukari must’ve done to the teen to make him act like that. The former vanguard was an idiot, he had more than proved that by rushing in when Anna had been captured, but he was a loyal idiot. _What did it take to turn him? What would it have taken to turn me?_ He knew that if it hadn’t been for Yata catching Yukari’s attention back then, that it might well have been him in that position. That he might not be able to be here beside his King when it really mattered.

_I will stop you Mishakuji Yukari. I have to…_

****

   It was clear that Nagare and the Gray King had more to talk about, and Fushimi was relieved to get out of there. His skin had been crawling at the thought of what the slates must be unleashing on the outside world, and there was a growing sense of urgency as he knew that the pillar of light that the slates had triggered would be the marker that they had been waiting for. However, when Sukuna and Yukari had disappeared without a word leaving him behind with a quiet Yata, he couldn’t resist the urge to try and reach out to Misaki, even with the increasingly urgent countdown in the back of his mind. _He had to try…_

“Misaki…”

“You should leave,” Misaki wasn’t looking at him, his gaze fixated on some point that he could only see as he allowed some of his green to dance around his hands, looking as though he might weep at a moment’s notice and Fushimi took a cautious step towards him. _Please don’t look like that._ However, he found himself freezing mid-step as hazel eyes rose to meet his gaze, and he was taken aback by the depth of emotion in his eyes. _Misaki…_ “I chose this…but you still have a chance to choose to leave this behind.”

“I…” _What the hell am I supposed to say to that?_ It had been easier to face the anger that Misaki had shown him at the tower, than this quiet concern. _How can you be worried about me? It’s not like you had a choice in the matter!_ How he wanted to say that. Shout it. But he knew that Misaki wasn’t ready to hear those words yet. That it might be a long time before he was able to hear them, if he ever could, but he had to do something, and he stepped forward, reaching out blindly with the idea of grasping the other’s shoulder. Something, anything to reassure him that he was here,  and not just for power, or for his real King, but for Misaki.

“You don’t have long to decide,” Yata pointed out as he stepped out of reach, flinching slightly as Saru’s fingers brushed his shoulder and the green sparks dancing across his skin intensified in response to his fear. “Can you really betray them?” Fushimi blinked at the longing underlying that question, and it took him a moment to recall the pained question that the vanguard had asked him at the tower, and he felt his expression darkening with understanding. ‘You can’t betray those who’ve already betrayed you…right?’

“You’re not a traitor!” He protested, putting as much feeling as he could into those words, cursing Munakata in the back of his mind for only adding to Misaki’s belief that he was a traitor.

_You survived. You just did what you had to do._

“Yes I am,” Yata said bluntly, holding his gaze for a moment later before turning and walking away without another backwards glance and Fushimi had to fight the urge to chase after him, closing his eyes as he realised that it wouldn’t do any good at the moment. But the vanguard’s words hung heavily in the air, and his hands clenched at his sides _. Misaki you’re not a traitor. I don’t care how long it takes, but I will make you see that_...He vowed silently, slowly opening his eyes just in time to see Misaki disappearing around the corner. _Misaki…_

   It took him another couple of minutes to pull himself together even though time was running out, and it was harder than ever to force himself to head in the opposite direction to the one that Misaki had just taken. _Open the gate, and then get Misaki out of here_. It was the only thing that gave him the strength to keep moving, pulling his PDA out as he moved, and praying that he was going to have enough time to do what was needed before he was discovered. Praying that Munakata and the others actually had a plan that was going to work. They had decided that it was too risky for him to have any contact what so ever, but now with Misaki’s words ringing in his ears, he wished that he had at least some idea of what they were planning so he could work out how the hell he was going to get both of them out of here.

_Open the gate. Get Misaki out._

****

   It had sounded like an insane plan from the start, but somehow the full insanity of it hadn’t hit until they were actually stood on-board the airship, heading at top speed towards where the pillar of light had come from, an invisible countdown hanging over their heads. Even the Silver King seemed to have lost his usual casualness, although he was still smiling as normal as he leant into his clansmen, and Kusanagi couldn’t help but eye him nervously. Considering what he was risking, and what he was giving up, he seemed remarkably calm in comparison to their own reactions since Anna had sat in the bar and announced that she was going along with this plan. _Will he really go through with it? Can we really go through with it?_ Deep down he knew that the other King wouldn’t falter and that his own King would support him with her head held high, but still he had to check.

“Anna are you sure about this?” Kusanagi asked softly, knowing that this was the last chance they had to change their mind about their involvement. Although considering that the Himmelreich was already on course for where the pillar of light had come from, it was probably already too late. But he had to ask. He had seen the pain in her eyes as she handed out the marbles, the knowledge of what she was giving up, of what she was asking them to give up and her eyes were moist but determined when she looked up at him.

“We have to do this,” she replied softly, fingers tightening around the sole remaining marble in her hand. The marble that would have belonged to her Misaki if he was here, and he was unsurprised when she carefully tucked it away inside her dress. _Yata-chan even now you’re her strength_ , somehow he didn’t think the teen would be comforted by that knowledge at the moment, but perversely he found it reassuring that even now she had faith in the teen. It meant that she hadn’t given up, that she was still fighting for the future and he couldn’t help but marvel at her strength yet again. How many other girls’ her age could shoulder the weight of being a King? Of believing in someone that might already be lost to them? Her eyes were bright, her aura flaring briefly as she added in a slightly louder voice, letting it carry to the rest of their clansmen. “We have to stop JUNGLE…” _We have to give Misaki a chance for freedom…_

“All right,” he agreed softly, it wasn’t so much that he disagreed with her decision or the plan, although the thought of losing their red was painful. He had just been worried that she was being pulled in a direction she didn’t necessarily want to go, but he knew Anna if she had wanted to disagree she wouldn’t have hesitated to speak up. She certainly hadn’t had any restraint about scolding Munakata about his recklessness. Resting a hand on her head he glanced at the rest of their clan, they all looked calm and confident despite the dangers of the situation, but there was an underlying seriousness to all their expressions, and he knew that their thoughts were with their missing vanguard. Kamamoto, in particular, was grim-faced, and he had been particularly unhappy when he had been forced to promise that he wouldn’t go haring off after Yata. “Kamamoto…”

“I know…” The burly blond muttered under his breath, lifting his head to meet Kusanagi’s gaze as he added quietly. “We have to trust Fushimi…” _I’m not sure we can though…_ His hands clenched at the thought of what could happen if they were wrong and Fushimi really had turned traitor, but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. If their plan was going to stand a chance of succeeding they all needed to be in place, even if that ultimately cost them Yata.

“If we encounter your clansman we will do what we can to get him out,” Kuroh spoke up softly, fingers curling around his sword hilt even as he glanced across at Shiro. He knew that the slates were the most important part of this mission and that getting his King there was vital, but he still had a debt to repay if he got the chance. “But…” _Whether he will let us help is the question…_

“Thank you,” Anna said softly, managing a weak smile of thanks for the Silver, well aware that he felt he owed Misaki a debt.

“We’ll make sure you get where you need to go,” Kusanagi added grimly, although he couldn’t help but glance anxiously at Anna as he spoke. It would have been better if they had more men, as without Yata they were having to leave her unguarded on the top level otherwise they wouldn’t be able to take care of every floor, and he was terrified that JUNGLE might seize the opportunity to send Yata after her. Because that was a fight that no one could win.

“I will be fine,” Anna tried to reassure him as she caught the glance, her hand going to where she had just hidden the marble. _Misaki’s marble. He will still be there with us. His red will lend us strength…_ She knew exactly what he was thinking because it was playing on her thoughts as well, but there was no fear in her expression as she turned to look at him. “Misaki won’t hurt me…”

“That’s what Kamamoto thought too,” Kusanagi pointed out softly, catching the way Kamamoto’s face darkened at the reminder and Anna’s expression softened when she glanced across as well. However, there was no doubt or hesitation when she turned back to Kusanagi, and he sighed as he took in her expression, already knowing what she as going to say.

“I know,” she assured him, knowing that there was no way she could deny it no matter how much she might want to, but her hand tightened around the marble. It wasn’t that she had forgotten that her vanguard had turned on them the last time they had faced one another, or the anger in his eyes…or that he had brushed aside their plea to come home…she knew all that, it had haunted her both in her waking moment and her nightmares. But at the same time, she didn’t fear him. She knew that she could stand in front of him without fear, because there had still been a hint of red in his green, and in her mind, that meant that there was still some of her Misaki in there. “But, Misaki won’t hurt me.”

_I believe that…no matter what else has changed when it comes down to it he’s still my Misaki…_

****

_Open the gate…Open the gate._

    It was a mantra in the back of his mind as he alternated before staring up at the main screen, and the flickering images on his PDA as it worked at deciphering the lock on the main gate. He had been spot on as to where the control room was, and he was just hoping that his luck held out for the rest of this mission. There was no way the others could have missed that pillar of light, which meant that if they were going to make a move, it was going to be soon. Which meant that he had to get the gate open now, or finding the location of their base was going to be pointless. He clicked his tongue before refocusing on his PDA, hating the fact that with JUNGLE’s power currently dominating he couldn’t even tell if his King was close _. Munakata you better be up there, and you better have a plan._

   As his PDA beeped to show that it had matched the first part of the key, he let out a soft breath. His confidence in his computer skills had taken a knock over the past few weeks, but it seemed as though JUNGLE’s security was a lot less impressive from the inside and his eyes narrowed. _They’ve been a step ahead all this time, so why leave an opening like this?_ He didn’t like it, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that it was helping him no end. If it hadn’t been weaker, then he definitely wouldn’t have enough time, his expression darkening at that thought. _If I even have enough time now_. No matter how lax they seemed at the moment, he doubted that much went on in this place without Nagare being aware of it, and he couldn’t help but wonder whether the Green King would approach him or merely send clansman to kill him off. _Please let it be Yukari…._ It was a reckless thought, he didn’t have his sword, and he knew that no matter how much he didn’t want to admit it, the older man was, the stronger of the pair.

_But, he hurt Misaki…_

**

Yata had retreated to his room again after his brief conversation with Fushimi, but he found himself unable to settle, pacing backwards and forwards across the floor, not even caring for once if Yukari was still watching him. _Saru_. There had been something in the other’s eyes when they were talking that told him that Fushimi wasn’t here because of power. And he knew that there was no way he was here for him, no matter how close they had come before he was taken, the blue was too canny to risk himself for someone that wasn’t even a proper friend. _And he didn’t come when you needed him_ , a bitter voice added, and his hands curled into fists at his side. _But I’m the traitor…_ Some of his anger towards their actions had subsided, overlain by Munakata’s voice pointing out the truth that he had so desperately been trying to avoid, and his hand crept back up to scratch at his burn.

_I am a traitor…._

   He had meant his warning to Fushimi - that it wasn’t too late, for him at least. Yata knew that there was no way he could walk away from this, he had chosen, he had burned his HOMRA mark away with his own powers. _I should just have let them kill me._ All those times he had taunted Fushimi for being a traitor, and yet when it had come down to it, he had done the same. No, he had done more..he had doen worse. He had attacked them. _What did I do…?_ His eyes were stinging again, and he let out a strangled noise, digging his nails into the burn mark, but the pain wasn’t helping this time. _I can’t even keep my promise not to cry anymore…_

“Damn it…Damn it…”

“Little Crow?” Ice crept through his veins as the familiar voice rang through the room. _How much did he see? Was I speaking aloud?_ His breathing sounded deafening in his own ears as he slowly turned to look at Yukari, struggling to get his mask back in place, although it shattered as he found the older man looming over him and terror pierced him at the knowing look in the brown eyes that met his gaze. _I’m dead…_ The fear faded as that thought settled over him, and he felt his mask slipping into place, arms falling to hang limply by his side even as he felt blood beginning to trickle from where he had been picking at his burn. _It doesn’t matter_. He didn’t even flinch when the older man’s eyes narrowed a moment before cool fingers brushed against his cheek, although he blinked when he realised that some tears had escaped without him noticing. _It doesn’t matter_ … “Oh Little Crow, what did I say about letting unnecessary thoughts slip in? About clinging to false hopes?”

    _Hope…_ Yata wanted to laugh. Fushimi’s appearance hadn’t filled him with hope... anger, fear, guilt. All of those emotions, but even when Saru had been trying to convince him that he wasn’t a traitor, he hadn’t felt the faintest flicker of hope. At least not for himself. He had wanted Fushimi to heed his warning, to get out of here before it was too late, but he had never for a moment thought that he was going to get out here. _I don’t have the right_ …But he didn’t laugh, he couldn’t even think of what to say, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he felt Yukari’s hand slip to his chin, nails digging into his skin and his breathing sped up. _I’m still terrified of him. I can’t fight him. I haven’t changed…_ He felt sick as defeat pressed in on him once more, and he hunched in on himself.

_I can’t fight him…_

“It would appear that your friend has decided to act against us,” Yukari said softly, and Yata couldn’t stop his eyes from flying open once more, realising at once that there was only one person he could be talking about. _Saru, what are you doing?_ He couldn’t keep the panic off his face, and his breathing spread up as he took in the smirk that spread across the older man’s face… _you suspected him from the start?_ He had wondered why they had accepted Fushimi, but it was just a game, he could see the answer in the eyes boring into his own, and his stomach rolled. “Unless he accepts Nagare’s offer to join us properly, then he will be considered our enemy. Your enemy.”

“I…” _Saru…_

“As the reason for his presence here,” Yukari cut across him smoothly, not that it mattered as his mind had blanked out completely at the thought of Fushimi being branded an enemy while he was trapped in the depths of the base. _Why did you come? Why didn’t you leave?_ Yata heard Yukari’s words, but they weren’t registering through his panic. However, the next words brought his whirling thoughts to a shuddering halt, and he could only stare wide-eyed at his tormentor as horror washed over him. “I think you should be the one to deal with him, don’t you?”

“I…” _No…I can’t fight him again._ He shook his head frantically from side to side at the mere idea of it. The tower had been bad enough, but then he had been numb and lost in his anger. Now the thought of fighting them made him feel sick. _I’m a traitor, but I can’t fight him. I can’t fight them_. The fingers were digging further and further into his skin, but he was barely aware of them, his hand rising as he scrabbled frantically at his burn. _I won’t fight him_ … Stinging pain in his cheek drew his attention back to the present, and he tasted blood as he stared up at the older man, fresh terror engulfing him as he took in the barely restrained fury in his eyes. _What have I done?_

“Little Crow…” There was a world of warning in those two words, and Yata felt himself instinctively cowering under the force of them, and he squeezed his eyes shut. _What choice do I have?_ His hand fell away from his burn once more, his eyes stinging fiercely as he felt himself giving way to the older man, fear and experience telling him that was the only path open to him now and he was moving to nod in agreement when Fushimi’s voice rang through his mind. ‘ _You’re not a traitor!_ ’ He didn’t agree, not in the slightest, but he had never heard the blue sound so frantic, so desperate for him to believe his words, and this time he felt his tears slipping down his cheeks. _Saru…_

“I w-won’t,” his voice wavered, and he couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes as he felt the older man stiffen, but he couldn’t…wouldn’t take the words back. I _’m a traitor, but I can’t…I can’t hurt him, not when he’s idiotic enough to still believe in me_ …He still firmly believed that Fushimi had given up on him, that he was only here because of the slates and his own King, but there was no anger now, just acceptance and finally a glimmer of hope. Hope that Fushimi and the others would be strong enough to do what he hadn’t been able to do. “I won’t f-fight…either him or a-anyone else,” he added, wishing that he could hide the stammer, but there was no hiding his fear.

_What the hell am I doing?_

“What a disappointment,” He flinched at the blunt, flat tone and he was just about to open his eyes and face the music when he was flung backwards. A pained cry slipping free as he hit the wall hard, and his mind flashed to how he had done the same to Kamamoto _. It’s fine…I deserve this… It’s fine…_ Gripping his side, he struggled to sit up as he heard footsteps heading towards him, and he forced his eyes open although he wished that he hadn’t as Yukari was suddenly right there, hand wrapped around his neck although not tight enough to cut off his air and he blinked. _Why? Why not kill me?_ There was a phantom pain in his chest where the man had stabbed him before, and his gaze flickered down, half expecting to see the blade there and instead he jumped as Yukari laughed. “Don’t worry Little Crow I’m not going to kill you…yet.”

“I w-won’t change my mind,” Yata growled, although he knew even without the amused smirk that met his efforts just how pathetic he must sound, but he meant the words. _I won’t fight. I won’t…_

“I know,” Yukari assured him, amused when the teen flinched violently as he patted his cheek with his free hand, and he allowed his fingers to tighten threateningly around Yata’s neck for a moment before releasing him. “However, I believe that death is too simple a punishment for you Little Crow,” he added rising gracefully to his feet, and Yata couldn’t stop himself from reaching up and brushing his fingers across his neck. _Why did he stop?_ He knew that it couldn’t be anything good, and his suspicions were confirmed a moment later when the older man continued cheerfully. “I believe our other guest should join the game as well.”

“No!” _Saru get out … get out…_ He couldn’t protect himself. He couldn’t fight for himself. It was laughable that he thought he could do anything for Fushimi, and yet despite his fear and the pain from the latest abuse he surged to his feet. _I’m a traitor…. he’s not._ _Saru has to get out of this._ It was simple in his mind, and that was all he could focus on until he once again found his world narrowing down to a fiery, pinpoint of pain, and for a moment the world went completely out of focus as a terrifying sense of familiarity settled over him.

_I know this pain…_


	23. Chapter 23

_Open the gate. Open the gate._

    The mantra was running through his head louder and louder, as he watched the cypher slowly unlocking on his phone. There was a faint tingle on the very edges of his senses, and he prayed that he wasn't being delusional when he hoped that it was Munakata, although he couldn’t stop his fingers from tightening around his phone. _Munakata…_ He knew that his King was on a knife edge when it came to his control and that there was every chance that even if everything else went right today, and they were able to stop JUNGLE that he might still lose his King, and that thought bothered him more than he would admit aloud. Still, he hoped that the last words he said to the man wouldn’t be the angry words they’d exchanged over a month ago, and there was a fresh sense of urgency as he rechecked his PDA screen, relieved to see that it was progressing faster than he had hoped.

   He’d just raised his finger to move to the next stage when a tingle ran down his spine seconds before Nagare’s voice rang through the room, and he bit his lip to hold back a curse. _Open the gate, get Misaki out_. Adrenaline was racing through him, and he took a moment to compose himself, Nagare’s deadpan voice and all-knowing comments making him grit his teeth as he drew a knife out of his clothes, before tilting his head to look at the owner of his voice. There was a hint of relief to find that it was the parrot rather than the King himself, as while he was willing to take his chances against Yukari, he wasn’t naïve enough to think he stood a chance against Nagare, especially not when he had direct access to the slates. Although the relief died a swift death when he heard Nagare describing his task in a nutshell, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

 _They know_ …

“Then you should hurry up and kill me.” He knew that challenging the older man probably wasn’t the best direction to take in the current situation, but he was also aware of the disadvantage he was facing, and all he had left was the hope that he could buy enough time to get the gate open. _Misaki_ …As long as the gate was open there was a chance that someone else could come for the vanguard or he could get himself out, and his fingers tightened around the PDA, determined to get it open if it was the last thing he could do.

   It was a challenge not to laugh when Nagare countered his words, actually offering him a place in JUNGLE for real this time. _‘You will not be considered a traitor?’ All_ he had to do was betray Munakata, a thought that left a sour taste in his mouth and he closed his eyes for a moment as it was chased by the memory of Misaki’s face and how broken the vanguard had sounded when he called himself a traitor. _‘Can you betray them?’_ Even if he could somehow betray the Blue King, there was no way he could betray Misaki, and he knew that was how the vanguard would see it…despite everything he had tried to warn Fushimi to get out, there was no way he would forgive him if he turned around and joined JUNGLE.

   He listened with half an ear as Nagare described what awaited him if he went through with it, and then proceeded to list the benefits of what joining JUNGLE could give him, and a small part of him knew that the old him…the one desperate to leave HOMRA and Mikoto would quite happily have accepted the offer. But that Fushimi had disappeared at some point, and now the words just left him with an uneasy feeling.

_I’m not a traitor._

   Sighing he pretended to be considering the words, letting his knife drop to the floor with a clatter before finally turning to face the Parrot. He could practically sense the Green King’s eagerness when he agreed that it might make things easier if he joined JUNGLE. And there was a hint of a smirk on his lips as in the next moment he turned down the offer and quickly tapped the last sequence into his PDA, hearing the beep that signified that the message was sent. _I did it…_ The brief surge of satisfaction that he had at least completed part of his task disappeared as the green spark disappeared from Kotosaka’s eyes, the parrot chanting as it took off with a screech.

“You’re dead! Dead! Dead!”

“Wonderful…” Fushimi muttered, well aware that there was no way the Green King would have sought him out without backup and he tucked his PDA into his pocket, reaching for his knife just as the door to the control room swung open and he was halfway out of his chair before he even realised who it was. His expression darkening as he met Sukuna’s triumphant smirk, and he wanted to curse, he wasn’t fooled in the slightest by the boy’s age. This was going to be a difficult fight, and he had wanted to use whatever chance he had to take out Yukari.

“If you’re no longer on our side. Then I guess I can kill you now…Right?!” Sukuna didn’t give him a chance to dwell on his disappointment, and Fushimi hastily swung his knives up to defend himself as the boy charged. But even as he blocked the scythe that passed worryingly close to his cheek, his thoughts weren’t on the fight, but on his other objective.

_Misaki…_

**

   Munakata felt some of the tension in his chest easing as the ground beneath his feet began to vibrate, eyes glittering as he watched the JUNGLE members starting to panic as the gate opened beneath their feet. _Well done Fushimi…_ To be honest, while he had shown complete confidence around the younger man when they were planning this, he knew just how difficult the task he was asking him to complete really was, and more than once he had contemplated the possibility of failure, or betrayal. _I should have known better,_ he scolded himself, before his attention was drawn to the figure that had risen through the newly opened gate.

_Now it’s time I did my job…_

*

  They had made it into the base, and Anna had shivered as they made their way to where she needed to be, unable to imagine Misaki surviving in a place like this. Unlike HOMRA’s warm, homely feeling this place felt empty…dead…and she couldn’t stop herself from wrapping her arms around herself, letting a little of her aura out to try and warm herself, although she knew that it wasn’t the cold bothering her. _Misaki_ …The marble that should have been his was burning in her pocket, and she prayed that meant that he was okay, that he was fighting to come back to her…to them, and oh how she wished that she could go and find him. That it could be her hand that would bring him home, but she had a role to play, and as much as she wanted to help Misaki, she knew that it would all be for nought if this plan failed. _It doesn’t make it any easier to accept…_

“Anna?” Kamamoto asked softly from behind her. Although he was in charge of the lowest level and therefore had the furthest to go, he had insisted on at least making sure that she got to her station, even if he couldn’t actually stay and make sure that she was safe. Kusanagi hadn’t protested, and she had a feeling that he had wanted to that himself, but as her strongest fighter she had wanted him to protect the Silvers for as long as possible, and he had reluctantly agreed.

“I’m fine,” she replied softly, glancing back at him and catching the disbelieving expression on his face she sighed before explaining what was bothering her. “Misaki doesn’t belong in a place like this.” The vanguard belonged out in the open, where he could shine brightly and soar with his skateboard. He had never been one for being cooped up inside, even at HOMRA he was antsy unless he spent a few hours outside every day. _They caged him…_

“No, he doesn’t,” Kamamoto agreed softly as he glanced around uneasily, he didn’t like the base and not just because of the thought of his best friend being trapped here. Being tortured here. “We’re going to get him back Anna.”

_Misaki, just a little longer…_

****

   When Yata came to, he was surprised to find himself still alive, not that there was any relief in that knowledge as memories came rushing back and he raised a trembling hand and pressed it against the new wound in his chest, whimpering as he pressed down on it. _It hurts._ It hurt more than it had the first time, and for a moment he was tempted to let himself sink back into the dark fog lurking just beyond his thoughts. He hadn’t been able to fight the first time, there was no way he could do any better this time, and his eyes were already drifting shut before he’d even finished the thought, only to struggle open once more as his thoughts turned to what had happened...

_It had taken him a moment to process the fact that Yukari’s blade was buried in his chest once more, the pain and shock slowing his already frazzled thoughts, and for a moment there had been nothing but resignation and acceptance beneath the pain. He had known the price of disobedience, and at least he was going to be free of JUNGLE and Yukari now. He wasn’t going to need to face up to the fact that despite his betrayal he had never belonged to the Green clan. He had just been a pawn. There were tears on his cheeks as his knees caved beneath him…_

_What did I gain by betraying them?_

_Did I really think I would ever have a place here?_

_The world was going in and out of focus, only this time there was no Kusanagi there to comfort him. No Saruhiko fighting for his sake, and he closed his eyes, barely stifling a cry as Yukari’s blade was pulled out as he slumped onto his side. It hurts…_

_“Rest here, Little Crow,” Yukari murmured above him and somehow Yata found the strength to force his eyes open once more, flinching back with a soft noise of pain as he realised the older man was leaning over him, bracing himself for another attack and instead he blinked as Yukari patted him mockingly on the cheek. “I would stay, but it appears that I have a monkey to deal with. Don’t worry I’ll be sure to pass on your regards.”_

_“N-No,” He didn’t even have the strength to rise, but he couldn’t do nothing. The thought of the Blue alone in this base…facing Yukari alone…trembling he reached out and wrapped his hand around Yukari’s ankle, shaking his head frantically, aura flickering weakly around him. “Saru… Leave Saru out of this…”_

“Saru,” Yata muttered as he came back to the present, fingers digging against the wound as he used the pain to jolt himself back into focus. He had no idea what had happened after that, but he guessed that he must’ve passed out and a concerned frown creased his forehead. _How long was I out?_ He knew that Fushimi was strong and that he must’ve had some kind of plan before coming into here, _right?_ However, Yukari’s words and the smirk that had accompanied them were lingering in his mind, and he swallowed hard, as strong as the blue was, was he powerful enough to defeat the swordsman? The thought of Saru dying at Yukari’s hands…

_Saru…_

   Weakly he forced himself up on shaky arms, the world around him slipping in and out focus and he had to swallow back nausea as he clamped his eyes shut for a moment. The temptation to leave them closed, to let his trembling arms give way beneath him and just fall into the shadows was strong, but the image of Fushimi fighting Yukari was even stronger, and even though he doubted that there was anything he could do, he had to try. _Saru…. Saru…Saru_. The Blue’s name had become a mantra in the back of his head as he slowly coaxed his eyes open once more, lurching clumsily to his feet, and he probably would have crumpled straight away if he hadn’t managed to grab the bed to steady himself.

“I can do this,” he muttered, panting heavily as he reached up to rest a hand against his wound. _I can do this…right?_ He honestly wasn’t sure, but with slow, cautious movements he shuffled across to where he kept the supplies for dealing with his burn, each step sending a burning sensation through his chest and he was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe or focus on what he was trying to do _. I can’t,_ he thought seconds before his knees gave way beneath him, sending him crashing into the small bedside table that was his goal and he couldn’t bite back the scream of pain as he caught his chest on the corner. _It hurts. It hurts…It hurts_. Tears were cascading down his cheeks as he slumped, eyes sliding shut in defeat even as fingers curled weakly around the bandages that had fallen to the floor beside him.

_I’m so sorry Saru…_

**

_I’m not getting out of this._

   As much as he hated to admit it, the thought had taken hold as he found himself losing ground in front of Sukuna’s attack, unable to get himself off the defensive and he was highly aware of the fact that he only had a finite number of knives. He couldn’t stop himself from glancing anxiously towards the corridors leading off from the area where they had ended up, hoping against hope to see a familiar head of chestnut hair, but there was no nothing but the destruction they had left behind them. Misaki, _where are you?_ It was probably a foolish hope, but a small part of him had hoped that once the former vanguard realised what was happening… that they were all fighting to bring down JUNGLE and get him back, that he might find the spark of himself that both Fushimi and Anna believed still existed and might come to his aid.

_Misaki…_

   The moment of distraction cost him, and he reached for another knife a split second too late as the scythe swung towards his face once more and he felt his foot slipping from under him as he tried to back out of its path. The sound of Sukuna’s laugh set him on edge, and his expression darkened. _Misaki, is this what you had to endure when you faced him?_ The thought of this brat tormenting Misaki drowned out whatever fear he might have felt, and he felt himself calming as he pulled out another knife, barely heeding what the boy was rambling on about, beyond the fact that he was treating the whole thing as a game. _Games, it’s all about games with them_ …

“Shut up Game-brain brat,” He couldn’t hold his peace on that matter. JUNGLE’s use of the word game about what they were doing, and what they had done to Misaki irritating him far more than anything else ever had, and his lips were pulled back in a snarl as he glared up at the boy. “Turning off the power button won’t save you from anything, not when it comes to reality. There are times when you still have to fight, even if you know that you can’t win!” _When did I start thinking like that?_ He pondered his own words, his voice rising at the last bit as he flung the knife towards Sukuna, hoping to find the opportunity to turn the battle around. _Misaki_ …His thoughts slid to the missing vanguard for a split second, but then his thoughts were consumed by pain, and it took him a moment to realise that the brat had managed to reflect his weapon back at him and that the blade was now embedded in his thigh. _Damn…Damn…Damn…_ He cursed silently, struggling to hold back a groan as he fell to the side. _It hurts_ …

   If he hadn’t stood a chance before, he certainly didn’t now, and he was coming to realise that Misaki either couldn’t or wasn’t coming for him, and his hands curled into fists. _Misaki_ …The gate was open which meant that Munakata and the others at least had a chance to stop JUNGLE and hopefully get Misaki home, but… _I wanted to be the one to take him home_ , he admitted to himself, bracing himself as Sukuna slowly stalked towards him, a triumphant smirk already in place. _Damn it_. He fumbled for a knife, knowing that it was too late, and even if it wasn’t what use was a knife going to be at this stage. _I have to try, for Misaki…_

“Sukuna-chan I’ll take things from here.” They both froze as the voice rang out a split second before Yukari dropped down between them, and Fushimi bit back a curse and instead settled for glaring up at the older man as he tried to mask his alarm.

“But…” Sukuna immediately began to protest as he eyed Fushimi, and the Blue glowered at him, well aware that the younger boy wanted nothing more than to finish him off. Realising that they were actually going to give him the opportunity to rise, he gritted his teeth, biting down on his lip to stop any noises escaping as he pushed himself to his feet. His leg was screaming at him, protesting the movement and he swayed slightly as he made it upright, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his knife as he realised that he wasn’t going to be able to stay up much longer.

_Damn it, of course, this is when he turns up…_

“I will let you deal with Kuroh-chan,” Yukari commented carelessly, smirking as Sukuna was immediately derailed from his protests before his gaze turned to Fushimi and there was something predatory about the smirk now as he met the Blue’s gaze. “I believe this game is one that I should finish, after all, I did let our little traitor onto the base, and it appears he has corrupted my Little Crow as well.” Sukuna pulled a face at that, before sticking his tongue out at Fushimi and taking off at a run, leaving Yukari and Fushimi to consider one another. “I hope that you don’t mind playing with me for a little while Fushimi-chan.”

“That’s fine by me,” Fushimi growled, although inside trepidation was threatening to overwhelm the anger he felt towards the older man as he weighed up his chances. The wound in his leg was burning fiercely, and he knew that there was no way he was going to move freely, and the amount of blood that he could feel soaking into his trousers was worrying, but there wasn’t much he could do about that now. He only had a handful of knives left concealed in his clothes, and once again he found himself wishing that he had his sword as he eyed Yukari’s sword. His expression darkening as he took in the blood that was already staining the blade, fear creeping in as he raised his gaze and caught the satisfied smirk being thrown in his direction. “Where is Misaki?”

“He’s taking a little rest,” Yukari replied his smirk growing as he caught the look of dawning comprehension on Fushimi’s face as blue eyes darted back to his weapon. “Don’t worry I’m sure he’ll join us in a little while. Depending on how strong he is.”

“Misaki is strong,” the words were out before he could stop them, not that he had any intention of taking them back because he knew they were strong. Before all this Misaki had been on the verge of breaking, but where other people would have shattered he had kept trying to move forward. He had survived the loss of Mikoto. The loss of Fushimi, and with time and support, he knew that the vanguard could come through this latest situation. “Stronger than most people realise.” _Including me…_ How many times had he taunted Misaki for not being stronger, for sticking with HOMRA rather than joining a stronger clan? Amore organised clan? It had taken all of this to realise that Misaki was already strong, far stronger than he had ever allowed himself to see, and he was determined to make sure that Misaki had the chance to remember than that. All thoughts of defeat flying from his mind as dropped into a ready stance, biting his lip to stop himself groaning as pain lanced up the side of his leg. _Damn it…_

_Misaki, hold on, I’ll make sure he can’t hurt you again…so please hold on._

*

   If he had been surprised to regain consciousness the first time, it was nothing compared to how he felt when he came too still slumped against the bedside table. It was harder to rouse himself this time, his eyes threatening to slip shut and stay shut, and it felt as though all the strength had been leached out of his limps. But there was a voice at the back of his head urging him to move, to do something, and as he gradually became more alert he realised that it was the earlier chant of Saru’s name still going strong in the back of his mind. _Saru_. A weak curse slipped free as he realised he had lost more time. _Where was Saru? Had he already got out? Or…had Yukari caught up to him?_ His stomach rolled at the last thought, fingers twitching as he tried to hold back the surge of nausea and he blinked as he realised that his hand was brushing up against some of the bandages he must’ve knocked off when he fell.

   For a moment he stared blankly at them, his mind sluggishly trying to connect the dots, struggling to focus on anything beyond the pain in his chest and the fact that Saru was in danger. Eventually he grasped them, movements clumsy and hissing in pain he turned his attention to his wound, paling as he realised just how much blood had soaked into the front of his clothes, and the hiss became a yelp as he was forced to pull the material away from the wound. It was just to the left of his original wound, and from what he could make out by awkwardly tilting his head it didn’t seem to be as deep this time. _He wants me to go to them_ , a chill accompanied that thought, but he knew that he was right, the swordsman was too skilled to have given him a shallow wound by accident, and for a moment his fingers faltered. _He’s waiting for me_ …Remembered pain and terror threatened to hold him in place, but then Saru’s face and his declaration that Misaki wasn’t a traitor flashed through his mind, and he forced himself to move.

_Wait for me Saru…_

*

   All his training after the first near miss at the Tower was for nought. He had no sword, and as skilled as he was with his knives they were clearly disadvantaged against the reach of Yukari’s katana, even before he took into consideration the older man’s skills. It was all he could do to parry the blade away from him, and more than once it had slipped through his defences and his lips were drawn back in a silent growl as he took in the amused expression on Yukari’s face. This wasn’t the battle that he had envisaged. He had wanted this to be his chance to avenge Misaki, to make sure that the crow no longer had anything to fear from this man. Yet at the moment the only thing he could focus on was trying to keep himself alive, and that was looking even more doubtful than it had a few moments before when he was facing Sukuna.

“You know I’m disappointed,” Yukari said conversationally, looking completely composed as he blocked Fushimi with ease and the Blue had to fight back the urge to snarl at the older man, his chest heaving as he skittered out of the path of another attack. It had been easy enough to block out Sukuna’s comments when they were fighting, but this man…with this man he wanted to hear every word that he said, both so that he knew exactly what Misaki had, had to endure but also so that he could make Yukari eat those words at a later date. “I had my Little Crow perfectly trained. Then you came, and he found some of his old spirits.”

“You never broke him,” Fushimi snarled, unable to stop himself from defending Misaki this time, as he flung himself out of the path of the sword once more, his leg buckling at the last moment and he cursed as the katana caught the back of his arm. He was already nicked in half a dozen places, and as much as it rankled to admit he knew that he was being toyed with. It was another bloody game to the man in front of him, and all he had left to defend himself was a couple of knives and his belief in Misaki. It was clear that Yukari was waiting as well as Fushimi knew that the swordsman could have finished him off half a dozen times already. _Which means that he believes Misaki is coming_. That thought generated a conflicting mix of hope that some of the old Misaki was still in there, and a desperate wish that the other teen wasn’t going to come for him. _Get out of here Misaki…_

“Really?” Yukari asked, tilting his head to the side as he easily batted aside Fushimi’s next attack, looking more excited than anything by the rebuttal. “He was so certain at the start that you were going to come, that Anna Kushina and HOMRA would come for him. Watching him lose that hope…was interesting.”

“Bastard…”

“Now, now there’s no need for that language,” Yukari scolded, blade flashing like silver through the air, and this time Fushimi was unable to hold back a cry of pain as the blade bit into his uninjured leg, and he wasn’t able to catch himself as he crumpled to the ground. He bit down on his tongue to stop himself from making another noise of pain as he landed awkwardly, glancing briefly at the newest wound as he felt blood trickling from it. _Damn it_ …His hands clenched tighter as he shifted his attention back to the older man towering over him, eyes narrowed with hatred, and his expression darkened at the amused smirk that met his glare. “Do you know what really broke him? Footage of all of you…the sight of HOMRA with a new vanguard. Of you and HOMRA fighting us, and letting SCEPTER 4 take our clansmen prisoner without trying to demand answers about where we were keeping him...”

“You lied to him!” Fushimi’s voice was tight with fury, a dull ache in his chest as he tried to imagine how Misaki must’ve felt. The vanguard had already been on edge before he was taken. Being trapped in that small room, with no sign of them coming to rescue him, it was no wonder that he had broken at the thought that they had given up on him. The thought that any of their actions could have been doctored in such a way to deceive Misaki adding to his guilt. He hadn’t been able to protect Misaki when it really mattered, but that faded in comparison to the thought that he had been used to tear Misaki apart. “You bastard.” _I’m so sorry Misaki_. The fresh guilt and the anger that accompanied it giving him the strength to push himself unsteadily back to his feet, a knife in each hand and his green crackling around him. “I won’t let you hurt him again.”

“Then stop me.”

*

   It had taken Yata much longer than it should have to take care of his wound, and it was a sloppy job at best but considering his vision kept going and there was a violent tremble to his hands he wasn’t going to complain. It didn’t have to hold up long anyway. However, he’d nearly been forced to admit defeat when he struggled to push himself to his feet, the world disappearing around him and he’d found himself throwing up, although there had been nothing but bile in his stomach as he hadn’t been able to bring himself to eat anything that morning. Everything hurt, and all he wanted to do was curl up and let everything disappear, but he couldn’t do that and so slowly, staggering and clutching blindly at the wall he had left his room. The thought of searching the entire base made him want to cry, but he guessed that Fushimi’s goal must’ve been the main gate and he vaguely remembered hearing the others talking about the control room and so he headed in that direction and prayed that he wasn’t actually heading away from the other teen.

   He could hear the sound of fighting in the distance, and more than once he had to duck out of sight as JUNGLE members ran past. While he might be able to convince them he was one of them, the blood on his front was rather conspicuous, and he didn’t want to be one of them even if it was just a ruse to get him through to Saru. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was anymore, but the throbbing pain in his chest and the anger and fear that rose at the thought of Fushimi facing that monster told him that he wasn’t JUNGLE and that he never had been. _I’m sorry_ , his hands curled into fists at his sides, the memory of attacking Kamamoto and the others worse now that he knew he wasn’t really a green.

_I’m sorry…_

   The wall was probably the only thing really holding him up now as he turned onto the corridor where he thought the control centre was, coming to a halt as he took in the path of destruction leading off in the opposite direction and taking a moment to catch his breath. _It hurts…_ His vision was flickering around the edges again, the colours swirling together and he blinked heavily trying to clear it, stilling as his gaze landed on a familiar knife lying abandoned amongst the rubble. He knew that knife. He’d had a similar one his arm before and pointing at his face on another. _Saru_ …Fear and worry flooded him at the thought of Fushimi fighting alone, and summoning up strength that he didn’t even know he had, he forced himself away from the wall as he staggered forward, following the trail of devastation.

_Saru, please be all right…_

*

  Apparently, his declaration that he wasn’t going to let anything else happen to Misaki had been the trigger Yukari was waiting for, as the older man really wasn’t holding anything back at this point, and Fushimi knew that right now he was only buying time. He’d already gained a deep gash to his side, and he could feel his movements beginning to slow, the world starting to dim a little at the edges, and he blinked as he barely avoided another attack. _I can’t win this_. He had known that it was a long shot from the beginning before he had got injured, but he refused to back down. _Misaki. I have to protect Misaki._ It had been his driving point all along, but there was a fresh intensity to it now that he knew that both he and HOMRA had been used against the vanguard. _We helped break him…_

   The rational part of his mind knew that they couldn’t have foreseen that happening, that they had been doing everything in their power to find Misaki, but it was hard to accept that after facing Misaki, and especially after hearing what had been done to him. _Misaki, I’m so sorry_. The world darkened for a moment, and pure instinct had him throwing his arms up in front of himself, knives crossing just in time to block the blow, but the force of it sent him stumbling back, and his legs gave way beneath him, sending him sprawling on the ground. His chest was rising, heaving breaths shaking his entire body and he cursed as he realised that he had dropped his weapons when he fell and that they now lay just out of reach. Before he could even think of reaching for them, Yukari was charging towards him, and Fushimi closed his eyes, realising that there was no way he could stop him this time.

_I’m sorry Misaki…_

*

   Yata had thought that he was prepared for what he was going to find, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of an unarmed Saru sprawled on the ground with Yukari charging towards him. For a split second, he was back in the tower, and his chest throbbed with both new and remembered pain, but he hastily shook the memory aside as he saw Fushimi closing his eyes and the look of pained acceptance that passed across the Blue's face. _Saru…_

“SARU!”

   Sheer desperation and terror leant Yata the strength to move forward, his green crackling to life around him as he sprang between the pair just as Yukari swung. His world narrowing down to the fire in his chest and the loud resounding crack that sounded through the room as the older man’s sword clashed with his wings that he had flung up to shield them both. While it was enough to deflect the blow, the force of it pushed him backwards, and he collided heavily with Fushimi, the Blue having used the unexpected intervention as a distraction so that he could get to his feet. Warm hands grabbed his arms as Fushimi tried to keep them both upright, pain flashing across his face and Yata did his best to support his own weight, but his body really didn’t want to cooperate with him at this stage. _Saru_ …

“Misaki?” Fushimi demanded anxiously as he felt the Yata slumping against him. He hadn’t been able to believe it when he’d heard the familiar voice shouting out his name, and he’d been unable to move when Yata had jumped between them. _He came for me, he’s still in there!_ However, the relief that thought brought faded just as quickly as it had appeared as he gently swung Misaki around to face him as he realised the other was swaying slightly. “Idiot what are you doing?” Anger was boiling in his chest as he steadied the smaller teen, paling as he took in the blood soaking the front of the vanguard’s shirt and for a moment his vision blurred as fear flooded him.

_I was too late…_


	24. Chapter 24

   Fushimi’s thoughts were racing as he clung to Misaki, well aware that the smaller teen must’ve used most of his strength up just to get this far and his arms tightened. His leg was burning, threatening to give way at any moment and his other injuries were throbbing. _I can’t fight for much longer_. He had no way to contact SCEPTER 4 at the moment, he had heard his PDA cracking a while ago when he had fallen and even if he could reach them what were they going to do? He had no idea if anyone else had made it into the base and even if they had, they probably had other things to focus on. How the hell are we getting out of this? It had been one thing to contemplate giving up when he was the only one at stake, but with Misaki there, that was no longer an option.

“Well, well Little Crow…” Yukari’s voice rang out, and they both tensed, and Saru could feel how Misaki trembled at the older man’s voice, and his lips pulled back in a snarl. _Leave him alone!_ The words were on the tip of his tongue, but before he could speak Yukari had continued. “I almost thought you weren’t going to join us,” Misaki growled softly, although it came out as little more than a whimper as he slowly turned around, making no move to escape the circle of Fushimi’s arms. Terror flooding him as he met the swordsman’s mocking gaze, but he forced himself not to flinch.

“L-leave Saru out of this.” He couldn’t keep the tremor out of his voice, a small voice at the back of his mind demanding to know what on earth he was thinking. He knew all too well what the punishment could be, and how cruel Yukari was. His breathing was coming faster now, panic creeping in and it was only the feel of the taller teen behind him that stopped him from falling apart completely. _I have to protect him. I have to protect him…_

“Misaki…” Fushimi breathed.

“He betrayed us, surely you know that traitors must be punished?” Yukari asked as he stalked towards them, and this time Yata couldn’t stop himself from flinching, catching the pointed edge to the words and lifting his hand to the burn on his chest and then to the sluggishly bleeding wound. “Little Crow?”

“He’s not a traitor…” Yata whispered, feeling the jolt of surprise from Fushimi, but he didn’t dare take his gaze off the older man coming towards them. _I’m the traitor_ , he thought to himself, sucking in a pained breath at the thought and wincing as it sent fire racing through his chest, the pain helping to focus him on the present and his voice was stronger as he continued. “Punish me all you want, but I won’t let you hurt him.”

****

   Munakata’s expression was tense as he stared down into the depths of the base. He had succeeded in his own task, although not without help, and now he was trapped. His power crackling around him, while above him, he could hear the deep rumble of his sword as little pieces broke away _. I’m running out of time_. He could hear Seri pacing behind him, and he fought the urge to glance at her. He had been surprised by her choice to take responsibility for stopping him if time ran out, it was one of the reasons he had asked Zenjo to come, hoping to spare her that burden and yet he hadn’t been able to protest when he had heard the steel in her voice. _What did I do to deserve such clansmen?_

   He worried at his bottom lip as he refocused on the base. The fact that the gate had opened meant that Fushimi had succeeded, but deep down he knew that had been the easiest part of the task, and whilst he had some insurance that would hopefully help the teen he knew that there was every chance it might be too late, and his fingers curled around the hilt of his sword. He had been completely composed when he had outlined the task, and when he had traded those harsh words with Fushimi, but that composure was slipping now. And he hated the feeling of helplessness as more of his power crackled around him, realising that there was nothing he could do now but wait…and hope…and trust his fate to the hands of the other Kings.

_Fushimi, you had better come back…_

****

   Apparently, his plea to be punished had played straight into Yukari’s game, and Yata found himself being virtually ignored by the older man who was focusing his attacks on Fushimi. On a Fushimi who was moving with none of the strength or grace that Yata generally associated with him, and panic flooded him as he saw the blue stumbling, narrowly avoiding another attack and then he was moving, his own pain forgotten as he intercepted the next attack. His green collided with Yukari’s, and the resulting explosion forced them both apart, sending Misaki stumbling back into Fushimi who barely managed to brace them both.

“Misaki, you can’t keep fighting,” Fushimi hissed in alarm as he realised how badly Yata was trembling, and his gaze darted to the blood staining the front of his shirt. He had no idea how bad the wound was, and he didn’t have time to check, but he was determined not to let it get worse. “Stay behind me,” he ordered as he stepped forward, raising his knives into a defensive position as Yukari charged towards them once more. He had also noticed that he was the primary target, and he had sickening feeling that he knew why. Misaki had told him to punish him, and the older man had clearly realised that the thing that would punish him the worst was watching Fushimi fall. As much as he wanted to spare Misaki that pain, he couldn’t help but be relieved that he was the focus of the attacks, even if it was getting harder and harder to fend off the older man.

“No…”

“Stay back,” Fushimi snarled as Misaki tried to move around him, realising that despite everything the idiot was determined to keep fighting. _Misaki, don’t you realise I want to protect you?_ _That you have to get out of this?_ Not waiting for a reply he moved forward to meet Yukari, cursing his leg as it slowed his movements and he found himself desperately having to block the swordsman’s attack as he fell short in his own lunge. Yukari was as skilled and swift as ever, sparks flying as Fushimi barely managed to keep up with the attacks, and he hissed as the sharp edge of the katana scraped his hand, cursing as the knife slipped free of his grasp forcing him to throw himself backwards.

   He hit the ground hard, hissing as it sent pain radiating through his entire body, but he had no time to dwell on it, and he tried to scramble backwards and put some distance between them. However, Yukari was close on his tail, and he found himself closing his eyes in preparation, only to hear the thud of Misaki’s steps as the idiot threw himself in the way once more. The green wings which would have been beautiful if they had been crimson shimmering to life in front of him, and for a moment Fushimi let out a soft sigh of relief, but it faded as he realised the defence had come too late and that Yukari’s sword had found its mark once more.

“I told you…I won’t let you hurt him,” Yata ground out breathlessly, trembling slightly as he reached out to grasp the katana embedded in his shoulder, hissing as he forced the blade out and ignoring Saru’s worried voice as he glared at Yukari. “I won’t let you win this game…”

_Somehow, I will stop you…_

****

   Kuroh had wanted to curse when it was Sukuna rather than Yukari who had blocked their path, even if that had increased their chances of getting through successfully. He hadn’t needed the boy’s taunts to know why his former senior wasn’t there, and dread clawed at him at the thought of what Yata and Fushimi could be facing at the moment. _I won’t get to repay my debt_ , it was a heavy realisation, but he couldn’t let it halt him. Shiro and Neko had gone on ahead, but even at this distance he could feel the power of the slates filling the air, and he knew that they were running out of time and that this was the only chance they were going to be afforded.

“I won’t let you pass,” he declared softly, cutting across Sukuna’s taunts, levelling his sword at the boy and letting his aura flare. It wasn’t the battle he had wanted. It wasn’t the opponent he needed to face, but he would do what was necessary to make sure his King was safe. However, as the boy charged, scythe whistling through the air towards him, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from drifting to Yata and Fushimi.

_Please, come back safely…_

****

   They were losing. Being pushed back bit by bit, and Fushimi was growing desperate. He was running out of knives, and his leg kept threatening to buckle beneath him, and even from here he could hear Misaki’s ragged breathing and his eyes narrowed as he realised just how much blood was staining the front of the other teen’s front. _How much blood has he lost?_ They needed to get out of here and soon, otherwise…he shoved that thought aside, knowing that they couldn’t afford for him to go to pieces. _Anna…Munakata…we could really use some help down here_ , he thought, stumbling forward as Misaki was flung backwards with a sharp cry, barely managing to catch him before he fell.

“Misaki!”

“Saru…?” The world was spinning around him, his vision darkening at the edges and it took a moment for Fushimi’s face to come into focus and he blinked feeling oddly heavy. _I don’t want to fight anymore_. Everything hurt, fire racing through him with every desperate breath he sucked in, and he was barely aware of what was happening as Fushimi helped him back to his feet. “Saru, what…?”

“Burn him,” Fushimi whispered, but he was prevented from saying anything else by the sight of Yukari’s katana coming towards the crow’s unprotected back. Snarling he immediately moved, throwing himself between the pair, using his knife to parry the blade and hissing as it still caught his arm. It hurt, but not as much as the sobbing breaths he could hear from behind him, and he let his blue flare for a moment, pushing Yukari back and buying them precious seconds. “Burn him!” He repeated more strongly this time, tilting his head so that he could meet Yata’s gaze, hating the fear he could see in their depths, and he gritted his teeth _. I want to banish that fear_ …He nearly missed the soft protest that followed, forced to sacrifice all but his last knife to keep Yukari at bay as it seemed that he was done playing around.

“But…”

“Your red is still there! You’re still part of HOMRA!” Fushimi cut across him with a hint of desperation, well aware that he was asking a lot from the smaller teen and wishing that they had another choice. But he was down to his last knife, and Yata wasn’t going to last much longer. That he was still upright was a miracle, but he was beginning to sway, and Fushimi knew that they might not get another chance. “You always will be! Do you think Anna would ever let that change?” He knew that Anna would never be able to see Misaki as anything other than her shield…her vanguard…her family and he hoped that somewhere deep inside Misaki still knew that.

“I…”

“Burn him!” Fushimi shouted, the moment of distraction costing him and he found himself being flung backwards, a fresh line of fire running from his shoulder and down his side. It hurt, and he couldn’t stop himself from crying out, pain flooding his world and for a moment he lost all awareness of the world around him as the darkness washed over him. _It hurts…It hurts…_

   Fushimi’s shout had broken through the terrified haze that had settled over Misaki, and he blinked, paling as he realised that the blue was down, huddled on the floor and gripping his side and his heart hammered in his chest as he saw the blood staining Fushimi’s fingers. _Saru_ …Yukari was moving, charging towards the downed teen, having apparently decided it would hurt Yata more to see Fushimi go down first and he was right. Yata couldn’t even remember moving, and he had no idea how he had got there so quickly considering his body felt like it was about to give out on him at any moment, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was back in between them, his green wings forming a shield in front of them as that cursed katana shot towards them.

_Burn him…Burn him…_

   Fushimi’s desperate words were echoing in his mind, and as he parried the attack, his wings flickering weakly at the edges he glanced at Saru, stunned to find that blue eyes had eased open once more and that the other teen was staring up at him with trusting eyes. _Saru_ …He didn’t know if he could do it. He knew that the red was still there, buried deep within him, but could he access it? Did he deserve to? _I don’t_ …Regardless of Saru’s words, he knew that he didn’t deserve to call himself a member of HOMRA, no matter what had been done to him, he had been the one to surrender, to lose faith…to betray them. _But_ …His gaze flickered between Yukari and Saru, seeing the murderous intent behind the mocking smile and he sucked in a breath. He might not deserve to be a red, but he would use what he could as long as Fushimi got out of there.

   Gritting his teeth, he flexed his wings, flinching as the green sparks danced in the air around him, but now he was focusing on the red spark buried in their depths _. I can do this_. The movement had forced Yukari back, and he knew that was the only time he was going to have, and his hands curled into fists at his sides.

“Burn him…” He whispered staring at the red spark, trying to recall how it had felt to have that red coursing through his body. It felt like a lifetime since then, and tears were burning in the corners of his eyes even as he felt the red flickering to life.

_Burn him…Burn him…Burn him…_

   His body was on fire with a flame of a different type, his vision blurring around the edges and he knew that he was running out of time. That Saru was running out of time.

“Little Crow do you honestly think you can defeat me?” Yukari was back, green and purple blazing around the edge of his katana as he fought to force his way through the barrier of Yata’s wings, and Yata faltered as he caught the dark anger that had replaced the usual mocking expression. _I can’t do this, I can’t beat him…_

“I…” _I can’t…_

“Misaki…” Yata flinched as gentle fingers curled around his ankle, and he glanced down to find that Saru had pulled himself into a seated expression. “You can do this.”

“Saru…”

“YOU CAN DO IT!” Fushimi shouted, slightly breathier than he had intended, and yet despite the pain throbbing through every inch of his body he managed a small smile. Just a slight quirk of his lips, but he could see the way that hazel eyes widened at the gesture. “I believe in you.”

_I believe in you_

   How long had it been since he’d heard someone say something like that to him? He knew that it was foolish. That right now with his green threatening to give way beneath Yukari’s onslaught at any moment, and his body growing heavier by the second, such a simple thing as belief shouldn’t be enough to force him forwards. But it was… He sniffled, tears trickling down his cheeks as he gave the smallest nod of agreement before refocusing on Yukari. Only this time he wasn’t focused on the man in front of him. This time he was focused on everything that had been done to him, letting the memories race through his mind despite the pain…

_“Flowers?” Yata asked in surprise, who on earth would give me flowers? He’d already received a load of gifts and cards from HOMRA, but not one of them had given him flowers, and he doubted very much that Fushimi would give him some either. As the Nurse brought in the bouquet though his eyes narrowed, and there was a small spark of fear in the back of his mind as he studied them…Green roses, and his voice shook slightly as he muttered a quiet. “Thank you.”_

  The spark of crimson grew brighter, and for the first time in weeks, he felt warmth flooding through him. A warmth that had once meant home and family…

   The entirety of the bed was strewn with green rose petals, and bile rose as he reached out to scoop up a handful with pale, trembling fingers. Why? How? The illusion of safety he had felt the night before shattered instantly and he flung the petals away from him, curling in on himself and wrapping his hands around his legs despite the pain it caused him as he tried to make himself as small as possible. There was a band of pressure across his chest, making it difficult to breathe and he let out a choked noise as he buried his head into his knees, trying to block everything out, but he couldn’t stop his thoughts from whirling around in his head. They were in here. He was in here… while I was sleeping…

   The Crimson was spreading, seeping through his wings even as they trembled under the continuing onslaught from Yukari, but this time when he met the older man’s gaze, he didn’t flinch.

_Pain exploded at the back of his head, his vision blurring as he felt himself tumbling forward, vaguely aware of the strangled cry that slipped free as he collided heavily with the pavement. Fresh pain blossomed in his face and copper filled his mouth, but he couldn’t make sense of what had happened or why he was hurting, his eyes blinking heavily as he stared without comprehension at the ground stretching out in front of him. He was aware that this wasn’t supposed to be the view he was seeing, but pain met any effort to reason out why and the brief flicker of clarity disappeared as a grey haze settled over him._

“Burn him…Burn him…” He was chanting it now, the crimson spreading further and further, the burn mark on his chest on fire and he lifted one hand to it. _Burn him…_

_“What the hell have you done!” Yata demanded in alarm as he stared down at his hands, blanching as a second attempt to draw out his red sent green sparks skittering across his skin. What is this? Where is my red? Clenching his hands, he raised his head to stare at the swordsman who was watching him with amusement, and his temper flared once more at that reaction, and he gritted his teeth. “What did you do?” He ground out fiercely._

   The hated green was losing ground now, and there was a hint of something else in Yukari’s eyes this time when he met his gaze…and despite the pain and fear still flooding him, he realised there was a spark of something else in his chest now, and it took him a moment to realise what it was. _Hope…_

_“You’re no longer HOMRA’s vanguard,” Yukari stated coldly, catching the sharp intake of breath from the teen at his words, waiting for a second to see if Yata would protest but the teen was staring at him with wide eyes, a lost expression creeping across his face. That’s right Little Crow, that’s the expression that I want to see from you. Struggling not to smirk he added blandly. “Although I doubt they’d miss you if that’s what you’re capable of now, maybe that’s why they haven’t come after us yet.”_

   _It doesn’t matter. As long as I can protect Saru, it doesn’t matter._ He could still feel Fushimi’s hand curled around his ankle and he drew strength from that…

_"Can you betray people who’ve already betrayed you?"_

“Yes…” He knew that now. Painfully aware that he had been lied to, that he had given into his fear long before they had given up on him. _Saru_ … For a moment he faltered, and he cried out as he felt Yukari’s blade pushing its way further through his wings, but then Fushimi’s fingers were tightening, and he took a deep breath. _Yes, but if I do this…if I protect him…maybe I can make amends…_

_It hurt more than he had ever thought possible, tears trickling down his cheeks despite his earlier promise to himself not to cry anymore, and it took him a moment to realise that it wasn’t green light that was obliterating his once beloved HOMRA mark. But the red that had been out of reach for so long, and bile rose in the back of his throat, as he lifted his head and caught the matching smirks on Yukari and Nagare’s faces as they watched him. They planned this. They let me use my red on purpose. Yet he didn’t falter, peering down through his tears and watching as the last of his mark disappeared, leaving nothing but a nasty looking burn that he knew would scar, meaning that he would never be free of what he had done. Feeling sick he allowed the weak flames around his fingers to fade away, his hand falling back to his side as he drew in a shaky breath. It’s gone my pride, my family. I destroyed it all with my own hands…_

   He dug his fingers into the burn mark on his chest. He had ruined it…destroyed it with his red. Now though he had the chance to destroy the one that had pushed him to that. The one who had taken his red in the first place and hazel eyes blazed with defiance he had never thought he could feel again as he met Yukari’s gaze.

“Burn him…” The Crimson had spread, green lingering only at the tips of his wings and he blinked, vaguely aware of other voices joining his. _Burn him…Burn him…Burn them…Burn them_ …The chant was changing, growing deeper and more powerful and his tears fell faster as for the first time in weeks he felt his red,  their red uniting. “It’s over,” there was no triumph in his voice, no hope, no excitement. Just a bone-deep weariness as he met Yukari’s gaze once more, realising that the flicker he had seen before was fear. He had thought that such a sight would have bought some kind of satisfaction, but he just felt numb. He just wanted it to be over. “Burn,” he whispered, and the last of his green vanished as the crimson engulfed them both, hungry flames leaping skywards and he was distantly aware of Fushimi releasing him and rolling clear, but all he could see and hear was Yukari as the older man writhed in his red.

And all he could do was watch with an odd sense of detachment.

_Burn…_

**

   Anna blinked as she felt another red joining with her flames as she stared down into the depths of the base, watching as HOMRA’s flames carved a path for Shiro and there were tears on her cheeks as she drank in the sight, well aware that it might be the last time they shone together. However, she found herself being distracted by the spark she could feel, and she jolted as the marble she was clinging to - Misaki’s marble, sprang to life and her eyes widened with comprehension. A sob welling up as realised what that must mean and she was trembling as she pressed it against her chest. Desperately hoping that he could feel her as well, that he knew that he wasn’t alone…

_Misaki, come back to us…_

****

  Fushimi could feel his heart hammering in his chest as he watched the crimson aura filling the air in front of him, horror flooding him as he heard Yukari’s cries from somewhere deep in the flames. He had no sympathy for the man, well aware that the Green had intended to kill them both, and what he had done to Misaki. _But still_ …He shuddered remembering how he had thought that he was going to burn alive the day he had sworn allegiance to Mikoto, and he hastily pushed that thought away, instead focusing on the fact that it was going to be over soon. He had meant it when he had told Misaki that he could do it. That he believed in him, but this was not what he had imagined and he closed his eyes, conflicted emotions raging in his chest as he heard the pained cries break off abruptly a few minutes later. _Is it over…?_

   It wasn’t until he felt the intense heat of Misaki’s aura disappearing from the air that he found it in himself to open his eyes once more, blinking as he took in the scorched remains of the corridor they had wound up in. There was nothing there to suggest that Yukari had ever been there aside from the charred remains of the man’s sword, and nausea rose in the back of his throat. _I did this. I told Misaki to do this…_ With that thought, he turned his gaze towards Misaki, and his heart plummeted as he took in the way former vanguard was stood in the middle of the devastation, his shoulders hunched defensively as though to hide from everything around him. _Misaki…_

   Slowly he pushed himself to his feet, nearly ending up on his knees again when his leg threatened to buckle, and it was only sheer stubbornness that kept him upright, and he had to pause for a moment to catch his breath. While he sucked in deep breaths he tried to take stock of his own injuries, his leg was undoubtedly the worse, but Yukari and Sukuna had managed to leave a tapestry of smaller gashes all over his torso, and he had a feeling that he was probably going to be bed-bound for some time after this. _But I’m alive_. That was something that he would have bet money against even just a few minutes ago, and he turned his gaze back to the reason why he was still here.

“Misaki?”

“I=I killed him,” Misaki wasn’t looking at him, staring at the charred sword in the centre of the devastation, sounding more broken than Fushimi had ever heard him, and at once all thoughts of relief or triumph disappeared. _Misaki._ Misaki’s voice was flat…terrifyingly so, but underneath Fushimi could hear grief and regret, and his breath caught for a moment as he realised that despite everything the older man had done to him, Misaki was actually regretting his death.

“Misaki? Misaki can you look at me?”

“I killed him…I killed him...I killed him…” There was an increasingly hysterical edge to Misaki’s voice, and with a grunt of pain, Fushimi stumbled across to him, making sure to make plenty of noise so that he didn’t startle him. While he trusted Misaki, he knew that the former vanguard was teetering on the edge, and he didn’t want to risk being the one to push him over. Wide, hazel eyes turned to him, and he paused for a moment, carefully trying to keep his weight on his other leg as he waited to see what Misaki wanted to do. “Saru, I killed him…” Misaki sounded so lost that Fushimi couldn’t wait any longer, rapidly closing the distance between them and wrapping his arms around him, feeling the way Misaki’s heart was pounding in his chest.

“Shh, it’s all right,” Fushimi said soothingly as he pulled the smaller teen against his chest, feeling the way Misaki’s hands curled in his shirt and beginning to rub his hands up and down the other’s back even as he tried to think of what to say. Misaki had always been a fighter, but he had never gone this far before, and he doubted even the way that Yukari had treated him was going to be enough to ease that guilt, and he swallowed as he realised that he didn’t have the necessary words. “It’s all right.”

“I…” Misaki was shivering now, full body shudders that sent a wave of pain through Fushimi’s body as they shifted his own injuries and he was about to pull back when he realised that Misaki’s breathing had begun to catch in his throat. Immediately forgetting his pain, he released him only to grasp his cheeks, trying to get the other to focus on him but Misaki’s gaze was gone. Fixated on something that only he could see, and Fushimi’s stomach churned. _Misaki…_

“Misaki you need to calm down,” he pleaded, deliberately trying to keep his own breathing steady and even, exaggerating the motions in the hopes of getting Misaki to mimic him. It took a moment or two, but slowly hazel eyes moved to his lips, and he realised that Misaki was doing his best to copy his breathing pattern and he forced what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “That’s it,” he praised gently, relieved when Misaki’s gaze met a couple of minutes later and actually focused on him, however, what he wasn’t prepared for was the vanguard slumping against him a moment later. The added weight caught him by surprise, and his leg couldn’t bear the brunt and they both toppled to the ground, with Fushimi doing his best to cushion Misaki’s fall. “Misaki?”

“I…”

“Misaki!” Fushimi asked urgently, not liking how faint the other’s voice had become, and with difficulty, he rearranged them both so that he was cradling the smaller and able to see his face, terrified to see Misaki’s eyes fluttering and threatening to shut. “Hey, none of that.” He didn’t need to be a doctor to know that Misaki was in a bad way, and that falling asleep now was a bad idea.

“I’m tired Saru…so tired,” Misaki whispered, and rather than fear there seemed to be a hint of relief in his voice and Fushimi felt his terror escalating. _Misaki, you can’t give in now_.

“I know,” he replied softly, knowing that Misaki wasn’t referring just to physical tiredness. The last couple of months had left Fushimi wanting nothing more than to hole up and sleep for days, and he knew that it must be a thousand times worse for Misaki, especially with this latest burden. _Misaki, I should never have pushed you_. His arms tightened around Yata, jostling him slightly as he realised that Misaki’s eyes were drifting shut once more, and there was an urgency to his words as he continued. “But you can’t sleep yet, you have to stay awake for me.”

_I’m taking you home…_

“No…” Misaki shook his head, tears prickling in his eyes. He didn’t want to be awake any longer… everything hurt, his breath was catching in his throat, and all he could think about was that he had killed Yukari. He had thought there would be relief at the thought that he could no longer be hurt again, but all he felt was numbness, and he feared the emotions that lay behind that numbness, and he wanted to escape before that hit. He could tell that he was worrying Saru, and he felt bad for that, but he had just had enough…of everything…

“Yes,” Fushimi countered fiercely, not liking the defeated expression on Misaki’s face and his fingers trembled slightly as he reached up to brush away the tears that had escaped. “Please Misaki…” Hazel eyes met his gaze, and he bit his lip at the sheer amount of pain in their depths. _Just what is going on in your head?_ He wasn’t given a chance to ask, as Misaki had weakly pulled his head away from his gentle fingers, letting it fall to the side and his terror became full-blown panic as he realised that the former vanguard’s eyes had drifted shut despite his pleas. “Misaki? Misaki!” There was no response, and Fushimi felt a pit forming in his stomach as he glanced around helplessly. Realising that there was no way he was getting either of them out of there on his own, and he squeezed his eyes shut as they began to burn as all his promises echoed through his mind.

_Misaki, please hold on…please..._


	25. Chapter 25

_He didn’t want to wake up. He could hear voices around him, familiar voices full of worry that tugged at his heart, but he didn’t know if he could trust them. Every time he contemplated following the sounds, the memory of a cruel smirk would flash through his mind, and he would shrink back._

_I don’t want to wake up._

_I don’t want to find that nothing has changed…_

****

The next day:

   Fushimi groaned as he woke up, immediately aware of the dull pain permeating every inch of his body and for a moment he contemplated leaving his eyes shut in the hopes of falling asleep again. _It hurts_ …However, he couldn’t stop himself from shifting slightly, trying to find a position that was even marginally more comfortable and as he moved pain shot up his leg, and with it came the memory of what had happened and his eyes shot open. _MISAKI?_ The unfamiliar white ceiling that came into focus after blinking heavily for a moment told him that he was in the hospital, and he bit back a groan. He hated being in the hospital, but before he could scowl a soft noise drew his attention and he tilted his head to the side, eyes widening as he found an exhausted-looking Awashima curled up dozing in the seat beside his bed. _Why is she here?_

   Slowly he let his gaze drift around the rest of the room, noting the flowers and card on the far side with more than a little surprise before dismissing them after a moment. The only thing he cared about was that there was no sign of Misaki, and his hands clenched at his side as he wracked his brain for what had happened. He remembered the vanguard collapsing in his arms… and then…

_“Misaki? Misaki!” Nothing he tried seemed to be getting through to the unconscious vanguard, and panic was clawing its way into his chest. He gathered Misaki against himself, ignoring the burn of his own injuries and instead focusing on the rise and fall of Misaki’s chest. He knew that the injuries themselves were dangerous, but he was more afraid of his state of mind. It had been hard enough for Misaki to come back last time, this time he might not think he had anything to come back for. “Don’t you dare give up on me now!” He told the unconscious teen softly, reaching up to brush his fingers across pale cheeks, removing the tears that had fallen._

_The sound of running feet in the distance caught his attention, and he paled as he realised that they were heading towards them. Damn it…He had assumed that the only ones left in the base now were the higher ranking members, and his gaze darted around. There was nowhere to hide, and he had no weapons left even if he could trust his leg to hold up for a battle. His arms tightened around Misaki. He couldn’t let them get him if nothing else Misaki had to get out of here. Gritting his teeth, preparing himself for the pain that was going to come, he struggled to get to his feet. He was biting his lip now, trying not to cry out as his leg wobbled under their combined weight, but he refused to let himself fall, not now…_

_“I’m getting you out of here,” he whispered to the unconscious Misaki, stumbling forward, hoping that he would find somewhere for both of them to hide before the rest of JUNGLE found them. However, he had underestimated just how much it was going to hurt, and he had barely made it a few steps before it became too much, his leg buckling beneath him and they both hit the ground hard as he lost his grip on Misaki. His vision was blurring now, the sound of feet and voices blurring into a dull buzzing noise in the distance and tears of frustration burned in his eyes as he weakly turned his head towards the downed vanguard._

_I promised him…_

   His memories after that were a blurred mixture of fractured images and pain, and he gritted his teeth in frustration even as fear pooled in his stomach. Where was Misaki? The other teen had been in a bad way, had they been rescued in time? He twisted his head back towards Awashima, hesitating for a moment as he studied her, unsure of what to make of the fact that she was at his bedside or the fact that she looked more exhausted than he’d ever seen her, and he contemplated just waiting for her to wake up. However, his concern for Misaki won out, and he reached out to shake her, hating how much effort even that simple movement took, and blinking at the bandages and plasters covering his arm and he had a feeling that the rest of his body was in a similar condition. It took a couple of minutes, but she finally muttered something that sounded very much like a threat as she stirred, and he hastily drew back his arm as her eyes eased open and she yawned widely before stiffening when she caught sight of him watching her.

“Fushimi!” He had never thought that he would hear that tone of relief directed at himself, and his surprise must’ve shown on his face because her expression softened, and she reached forward and grasped his hand before he had time to snatch it out of the way. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got into one hell of a fight,” Fushimi grumbled before his expression clouded over _. I was the one who was supposed to fight him. I was the one who was supposed to stop him!_ He was unaware of the way his fingers had tightened around her hand as he was overwhelmed with the memories of the fight, his own voice echoing in his head as he pleaded with Misaki to burn him. _What the hell was I thinking?_ It had been the only thing he could think of to get them out of there alive, but he doubted that he would ever be able to forget Misaki’s broken expression and voice once he’d realised what he’d done. His jaw clenched, and it took him a couple of attempts to get his voice to work again. “Where is Misaki?”

“Fushimi…Saruhiko…”

“Where is he?” Fushimi demanded, her soft tone and her use of his first name. Something that she had never done before, even when he had come back injured sending tendrils of ice through him. _Was I too late_? He pulled his hand out of hers, pushing himself into an upright position as he asked. “He’s not…?”

“He’s alive,” Awashima was quick to reassure him, making no effort to avoid his searching gaze and he felt a little of his fear ease as he realised that there was no lie in her words, but he hadn’t missed the shadow in her eyes.

“But…?”

**

   Anna had been prepared for the sense of loss that would come with the destruction of the slates, even now she could feel her crimson fading away, and if she thought about it too much, her eyes would begin to burn. _I’ve given away our colour_ …However, at some point, she had naively allowed herself to believe that with the destruction of JUNGLE and the slates, things would take a turn for a better. She had trusted that Fushimi would bring him home and that even if it took time, she would have her Misaki…her vanguard…her crow back at her side. She hadn’t expected to find herself at Misaki’s beside, watching as he fought to cling to life or rather, as he struggled to slip away from them. She couldn’t explain it, but she knew that it was different this time, that he wasn’t trying to push his way back to them and her fingers tightened around his hand.

“Misaki…” She whispered, relieved that she had been left alone with him for the time being, although she knew that the rest of their clan were nearby even though she could no longer feel them as she had the day before. “I don’t know what happened, I don’t know what you had to go through to get out of there.” She had felt him fighting, felt him using his red again, but that was all she knew. By the time she had managed to get out of the base, Fushimi and Misaki had both been whisked away to the hospital, and the former had been in no state to give them any information. Reisi had told her that he had barely been conscious when he’d been pulled out, and all he’d said was to help Misaki. “I don’t know what you’re fighting now, but I want you to know that I’m not going anywhere. I will wait as long as it takes for you to come back, and then I will do whatever it takes to make you realise you still belong with us.”

   Crimson eyes darkened as her gaze shifted to the mass of bandages covering his chest. She had made the mistake of peering inside when they were being changed that morning, and while it was bad enough seeing the fresh stab wound, it had been the infected mess that marked the spot where his HOMRA mark had been that had made her weep. She had managed to hold herself together until that point, but seeing the proof that he had been taken from her, however briefly, and knowing that they had stolen something so precious from him…It had taken her a couple of hours to even remotely regain some composure, and even now her eyes were beginning to burn, and she swallowed hard as she ghosted her free hand over the hidden wound.

“You will always be HOMRA!”

_Please remember that, and come back to us._

**

   Fushimi felt as though all the breath had just been forced out of his chest as he peered into the hospital room, relieved to at least realise that it wasn’t the same room as last time. Awashima had forced him to allow the doctors to check him over, refusing to answer his increasingly demanding questions, and it was only when the nurse had appeared with a wheelchair when he had finally finished being poked and prodded that he had realised that she wasn’t ignoring the situation. He had been on edge all the way here, hating the fact that he was reliant on her to get to Misaki, and growing increasingly tense at the fact that she hadn’t yet told him anything other than the fact the vanguard was alive. Now he knew why. Even from the doorway, it was clear that Misaki was in a bad way. The machines surrounding him, and the tube protruding from his mouth confirmation of that fact, but there was something else in the air, something that told him that Misaki wasn’t fighting to come back to them.

“Misaki…”

“Saruhiko,” Anna had jolted at his voice, turning to look at him, and he caught a glimpse of the tears shimmering in her eyes before she had broken away from Misaki’s side and darted towards him. Before he could think of responding, she had closed the distance between them and whatever words had been trying to find died in his throat as she wrapped her arms around her. “Thank you. Thank you for bringing him back. I knew that you weren’t a traitor.” His heart ached at her words, her voice blurring with Misaki’s in his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut as he tentatively returned the hug, feeling the tremors wracking her small frame.

“I was too late though…he…”

“He’s still alive,” Anna whispered, and they could all hear the silent ‘for now’, but it went ignored as she pulled back to look at him. “He’s still alive, and until that changes, it isn’t too late. Misaki can come back from this, I believe that.” _I have to_ , she added silently as she glanced back at the unconscious vanguard, the marble that for a moment had burned so brightly with his rekindled fire heavy in her pocket before she turned back to Fushimi. “Do you?”

“I…” He wanted to say yes, he honestly did, the thought of losing Misaki was inconceivable. But he couldn’t shake the memory of how Misaki had acted after killing Yukari, and he swallowed hard as he glanced across at Misaki. _Could I come back from something like that? Can he…?_

“Saruhiko?”

“I want to, more than anything else,” he could hear Awashima shifting behind him, and he paused for a moment, uncomfortable at the thought of her hearing this. However, he just focused his gaze on Misaki, watching the rise and fall of his chest and trying to ground himself with the fact that he was still here with them. “But, I saw what he was like…I heard what he had to go through and I’m not sure that anyone can come back from that.” _I’m not sure anyone would want to_. It hurt. It hurt more than he had ever thought possible to admit that, and he squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the pity on their faces. _Misaki…_

“Fushimi…”

“Saruhiko…” Anna’s voice was softer than Awashima’s, and he found himself unable to resist it, slowly opening his eyes and jolting as he realised just how close she still was. “Can you tell me?” She asked, gently brushing away the tears that he didn’t even realise had slipped down his cheeks.

“Tell you?”

“What they did to my Misaki,” Anna sounded far too dangerous for her age, and her aura flared although it was far weaker than before, eyes flashing as she glanced back at Misaki before refocusing on Fushimi who swallowed slightly at her expression. “I want to know what they did to him!”

****

_‘You will always be HOMRA!’ The words had broken through the haze around his mind, and for a brief moment, he had allowed himself to believe the words as warmth engulfed him. But it had been a fleeting sensation, and then he was there again, and Yata felt himself cowering down.  Deep down he knew that that the man was dead. That he had killed him, but under the force of that cold stare, it was harder to convince himself of that fact._

_I don’t want to wake up…_

_I don’t want to face him again…_

****

Two days later:

   Fushimi sighed as he limped down the corridor towards Misaki’s room, well aware that he was probably going to get scolded for sneaking out of his room yet again. But every time he was aware from Misaki’s side for more than a couple of hours he found himself getting antsy, and it didn’t matter who went to check on the vanguard for him, he couldn’t bring himself to believe anything but what his own eyes told him. Not that it made much of a difference at this stage,  as there had been no sign of change in Misaki’s condition over the past two days…he just existed…and Fushimi couldn’t help but fear that his previous doubts were going to be proven right, that Misaki wasn’t going to want to come back to the mess that his life had become, and his hands tightened on his crutches.

_Misaki, please…_

   It had been harder than he could have imagined telling Anna and Awashima what he’d learnt while inside the base, and he was relieved that they had both promised to be the ones to fill in everyone else. Anna’s expression had been truly terrifying when he’d described Yukari’s final game, and he had waited for her anger to explode over him when he’d admitted to what he’d done. That it had been his words, his encouragement that had pushed Misaki to find his red once more, in order to kill his tormentor. Instead, her fury had melted away, and she had closed the distance between them once more, wrapping him up a hug and whispering words of forgiveness in his ear. Words that he still didn’t feel like he deserved, and at the end, she had pulled him across, and without hesitation, she had placed Misaki’s hand in his.

“You did what you needed to, to bring him home. If you hadn’t he would already be dead, so how could I blame you for that?”

    Because I might have broken what was left of his spirit, Fushimi closed his eyes for a moment. Even the doctors had admitted that Misaki was doing worse than he should have been, despite the seriousness of his injuries, he should have been stronger than he was and Fushimi knew that it was because of what had happened. ‘ _I’m tired Saru…so tired…’_ Misaki’s words taunted him, and he gritted his teeth before forcing himself to move forwards once more, needing to see for himself that the vanguard was still fighting to stay with them.

_Please,_ _Misaki, give us time, and we can prove to you that things are better and that they’re only going to get better from now on._

**

   Kusanagi was currently taking his turn watching over Yata, having chased Anna and a silent Kamamoto off to rest as they had been pulling double duty on watching over the vanguard. Everyone in HOMRA had spent time sitting with Yata, talking to him about everything and anything and he knew that even those who weren’t as close to him as Kamamoto was were struggling to cope with the situation. It should have been a time to celebrate. They had won. Admittedly they were already beginning to lose their abilities, but they were all alive, and JUNGLE had been stopped. But it was hard to feel like it was a victory when the one person they had been fighting so hard to save was fighting for his life.

_Yata-chan, do you even realise how much you mean to this clan? How much we need you?_

   Hearing some of what Yata had been forced to endure while he was with JUNGLE had been heart-breaking, and more than once he had seen Anna with tears in her eyes when she thought no one was looking. But what made it worse, was the fact that they all knew that was only part of it, and the thought that they didn’t know how to help Yata come back from that, let alone whatever else he had been forced to endure. _Yata-chan_. Slowly he reached out and grasped Misaki’s hand, remembering doing this the last time they had been in this situation, but at least that time Yata had been able to fight, and he’d had something to come back to. This time he was lying there close to death because of a cruel game, because Yukari had wanted to hurt him and made sure that he had no way to fight back, and they had no idea if he knew that he had something to come back to. The old Yata would have known, but…

“I’m sorry,” Kusanagi murmured, hesitantly tightening his fingers around Yata’s hand, almost afraid that he would shatter at the slightest touch at the moment. His eyes darkened as he studied the teen’s face, twisted with pain and fear even now. _Yata…We were supposed to protect you from this. We were supposed to protect you._ Slowly his gaze drifted towards the worst of the injuries, the stab wound to the chest and the nasty burn that marked where Yata’s HOMRA mark had been, and fresh guilt welled up as continued softly. “I wish now that I had never asked you to follow us that day. We would have lost out on having you as a clansman, but this…” If Yata had never joined HOMRA, he would probably be safe and happily causing mischief elsewhere or curled up playing a video game, rather than in a hospital bed fighting for his life again. “This would never have happened.”

“Misaki wouldn’t wish for that.”

“Fushimi…” Kusanagi turned towards the new voice, finding the Blue leaning awkwardly against the door frame with his crutches tucked tightly against his side. The nurses had long since given up trying to keep him in bed although they always made sure to give him one hell of a scolding when they caught him, and Fushimi adamantly refused to let anyone push him around in a wheelchair although several of his own clansmen had offered, and so crutches it was.

“HOMRA was never the place for me,” Fushimi continued softly, figuring that there was no point in denying it at this stage. Not now that Mikoto was dead, and all their powers were slowly beginning to decline. His gaze shifted to the unconscious vanguard, his jaw clenching for a moment at the lack of change in Misaki’s condition, and there was a slight tremor to his voice as he continued. “But Misaki…Misaki needed HOMRA, and he still does, it might just take him a while to remember that.”

_If he can…_

“But…”

“There are plenty of things we should be blaming ourselves for,” Fushimi cut across the protest, a guilty expression on his face as his gaze shifted to Misaki, all the promises that he had made and then failed to keep playing through his mind. _We made so many promises, and right from day one we kept failing him. What right do we have to ask him to come back?_ He swallowed hard at that thought, before turning his gaze back to the older man. “Don’t try to take on unnecessary ones as well.” Part of him agreed with what the older man had said, and a part of him wanted to blame HOMRA. To blame the Slates. To blame the Kings…but then he would remember Anna’s grief and fury over what had been done to Misaki, the faith she had shown in him even when it had looked as though he had betrayed them all, and the way Misaki had always shone brightest when he was fighting for his King and clan. _Misaki is HOMRA, I can’t deny that, and I won’t let him forget it…_

“Easier said than done,” Kusanagi muttered before gesturing for Fushimi to come into the room, well aware that the Blue had come to check on Misaki and not deal with his issues. “I’m sorry,” he added once the teen was settled.

“For what?”

“When you went undercover, I honestly thought there was a chance you had joined JUNGLE,” he admitted quietly. Oh, he had hoped that Fushimi was still on their side, for Anna and Yata’s sake at least, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to believe it completely. It had been Seri who had sought him out the evening after the battle when they were waiting for news on both teen’s conditions and filled him in on the task Munakata had given Fushimi.

“It’s fine,” Fushimi muttered, well aware that many people had thought that. He has been visited by nearly every member of the main squad the evening after he’d woken up and had to put up with a sea of heartfelt apologies, to the point where it had just become embarrassing, and he’d found himself snapping at them all to just forget it and that he forgave them. To be honest, he had never blamed them. The whole reason for giving him that job had been because his past had given it believability, although he had been warmed to realise that Anna at least had never truly lost faith in him. “That was the whole point…”

“But still…”

“You know I always thought of myself as a traitor after I left for Scepter 4,” his hand tightened around Misaki’s, feeling his eyes beginning to sting as he recalled how desperate the crow had been to prove that he wasn’t, and how broken he had sounded when he had claimed he was a traitor. _I left everyone and everything behind by choice. I wanted somewhere where I could belong, and where your eyes would be fixed on me. You had no choice, if anyone is a traitor, it’s me…but…_ “But when we were in that hellhole, he fought for me, and he told me that I wasn’t a traitor.” It had occurred to him that he would never have accepted such a crazy plan if it had come from anyone other than Munakata, but that on its own wasn’t enough to make him throw aside that label. But hearing those words from Misaki, and seeing the belief in the hazel eyes when he’d said them. It had been then, that he had finally allowed himself to believe that he wasn’t a traitor…

“You weren’t,” Kusanagi said softly as he glanced at Yata, remembering all the times the teen had levelled that insult at Fushimi. “We could see that you weren’t happy here, but we didn’t know how to help you. You probably don’t want to hear it, but I think we knew even before you left what was going to happen.”

“Misaki didn’t.”

“No, but you’ve both been rather blind about each other, until recently.” _I just wish it hadn’t taken all of this for you both to see the other more clearly,_ he didn’t say that aloud, and he was glad that he hadn’t when Fushimi’s expression darkened as he focused on Misaki once more and it was easy enough to tell where his thoughts had gone. It was a fear that had been hanging over HOMRA from the moment they had heard that Misaki had been rushed to the hospital. That they might not get the chance to bring Yata back, that they might not get the chance to make amends for their failed promises, and he felt his eyes burning as he glanced at the unconscious vanguard.

_Yata, please give us a chance…._

**

   Fushimi felt raw and exhausted. Kusanagi had slipped away a while ago, muttering something about checking on Anna but the Blue hadn’t been fooled, knowing that it had been the older man’s way of giving him time alone with Misaki. The problem was that he had no idea what to say with Misaki. He had discovered that the day he woke up; it was easier to talk to everyone but Misaki at the moment. His hand tightened around the limp one he was holding, swallowing nervously as he fought to find something to say to the unconscious teen. _What do I say to you?_ He didn’t dare make any promises, not now. Misaki had already lost too much and been betrayed too many times, and he couldn’t apologise, because he wanted…needed, Misaki to be awake to hear them, and talking about anything else just felt wrong given the situation.

_Misaki, what can I say…?_

  He hadn’t realised that he’d let his eyes drift shut, until a loud beeping caused them to fly open once more and it took him a moment to realise that the machines around Misaki were going haywire and he had barely begun to lean forward when the door burst open, and a doctor and nurse rushed inside. The room descending into a flurry of activity as he found himself being gently pushed from the room, his mind going blank as he took in the flat line on the heart monitor. _Misaki, don’t you dare…_ He was completely unaware of the tears streaking down his cheeks as he pressed himself against the window, barely daring to blink for fear that Misaki might slip away and he finally found his voice again as he watched the doctor fighting to bring the vanguard back.

“Misaki, please…”

****

_I’m sorry._

_I don’t have the strength for this. I just want to rest…_

_Please forgive me._


	26. Chapter 26

   It had been three hours since Misaki had nearly slipped away from them, and to Fushimi, it felt like he still hadn’t managed to catch his breath even though he had finally been allowed back into the Misaki’s room. The vanguard’s hand is scarily fragile in between his own as he grasped it, fingers trembling. _Misaki_ …It had been hard enough last time, riding out the rises and falls in the condition of the other, but watching the medical team struggling to bring the vanguard back had terrified him because this time he honestly hadn’t thought that Misaki was going to come back to them. It had been close, too close, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that it had been Misaki trying to slip away. That Misaki was trying to get away from everything that had been done to him, and that scared him even more, because how on earth were they supposed to give him something to come back for?

   Anna and Kusanagi had returned as soon as they had heard the news, but when they had been given the all clear to sit with Misaki, Anna had turned to Fushimi and gently nudged him forward. He had tried to protest, wanting…needing time to recover from the fright, and still completely at a loss as to what to say to the vanguard, but he had found his protests dying under the force of her gaze. He hadn’t been able to argue when she had pointed out that at the moment HOMRA was as much a part of the problem as JUNGLE, and that Fushimi might be the only one at the moment who could bring Misaki back. _But I don’t how_ , he thought as he turned dark eyes towards Misaki, unable to stop his gaze from flickering towards the heart monitor every few seconds. _I don’t have the words. but_ …He still had no idea what to say, but he couldn’t let Misaki go without a least fighting for him, and so he leaned forward, reaching up to brush limp chestnut strands out of the other’s face.

“Hey, Misaki…” He whispered, his voice cracking and he had to pause for a minute, trying to clear the lump that had risen at the back of his throat, his fingers tightening around Misaki’s hand. “I don’t know if you can hear me, or if you’re even willing to listen to me…but, you can’t give up.” _Do any of us have the right to ask that?_ He faltered for a moment, remembering the exhaustion and defeat in hazel eyes the last time they had spoken and he felt his voice withering away as he bowed his head. _You can’t give up_. Misaki had already lost more than one battle, the second because they hadn’t been able to get to him in time and Fushimi found himself hesitating to ask Misaki to fight again, all their broken promises…all of his broken promises echoing in his thoughts.

Why would you fight?

   He closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that came with that thought and he let his hold on Misaki’s hand loosen. _I should let him go. I don’t have the right to ask him to fight. To come back to this mess…to confront what that man did to him. But…he fought for me._ Fushimi knew that Misaki would never have fought Yukari for his own sake, he had come rushing into that battle despite his injuries because he knew that Fushimi was there. Because he had wanted to protect him, even though the Blue had failed to protect him and his eyes snapped open, his hand tightening around Misaki’s once more. He still wasn’t sure that he had the right to ask Misaki to fight, or if it would even matter, but he had to try if only to return to the favour.

“I know you don’t want to face everything that happened, but Yukari is dead, he can’t hurt you anymore, and JUNGLE has scattered,” he said firmly, his voice louder than before. At least that much he could say with confidence, as Munakata himself had dropped by to fill him in on the situation with SCEPTER 4. Apparently saving the day had gained their department a reprieve for the time being, and they had been tasked with tracking down whatever remained of JUNGLE, which was apparently little more than the odd pocket of resistance. Its structure hadn’t been built to withstand the loss of their leaders or to encourage solidarity, and there seemed to be little chance of any major scuffles with the clan. The last J-Rank member, Sukuna Gojo was currently enjoying their hospitality after being handed over by Kuroh before the Silvers had disappeared in search of their King. “JUNGLE are gone.”

    J _ust not the damage they did to you,_ he thought as his gaze trailed over the bandages covering the vanguard, lingering on the one that hid where Misaki’s HOMRA mark had once been. Feeling his own scar beginning to itch and he had to fight the urge to reach up and scratch it. He had never once regretted removing his tattoo - maybe the manner in which he had removed it, but never the removal itself. He’d had no attachment to HOMRA, and it had been a relief in a way to remove that final link. But Misaki…Misaki had loved his mark, it had been his pride, the sign that he had a home and a family to return to and they had taken that from him. Worse, they made him destroy it. Fushimi hadn’t realised until he’d got his first look at the wound, in a way hoping that Yukari had been the one to destroy, but the burn pattern in the shape of fingers had told their own tale.

_Misaki…_

“We couldn’t keep our promises to you,” his voice trembled now as he drew his attention away from the bandages, his gaze moving back to the pale face, searching for any sign that his words were getting through. But Misaki was as still and silent as ever, only the rise and fall of his chest and the comforting beeps from the heart monitor confirming that he was still there. That he was holding on for now, even if he wasn’t fighting to come back. “We promised to protect you…to find you and bring you home, and I know he turned our failures into a way to hurt you. I-I won’t blame you if you can’t trust us.” That thought hurt and his free hand curled into a fist after all the time spent fighting…warning Misaki not to trust him, to realise that they were enemies…He swallowed, pushing that thought away. It didn’t matter if Misaki didn’t trust them if he pushed them all away or left them behind. As long as he was alive, Fushimi could live with that, and as much as it would hurt he knew that the same was true for HOMRA as well. “But, don’t give up because of that.”

_Don’t give up because of us, please…_

****

_Why? Why should I fight? I don’t want to. I don’t want to fight anymore._

****

A week later:

   Anna was solemn as she settled into the chair beside Misaki’s bed, instinctively reaching out to grasp his hand, needing to feel his warmth to reassure herself that he was still with them. Still fighting, although she didn’t know what for. After the scare he had given them a few days ago they had never once dared leave him alone, someone was always there beside him, talking to him, trying desperately to provide the vanguard with a reason to come back to them. Time had seemed to creep past, and while it remained unspoken, they all feared that their words were falling on deaf ears. The only cause for hope they had was that Misaki was still there and had shown no sign of crashing again, although at the same time he had shown no sign of waking up, and she hadn’t been deaf to the warnings from the Doctors that the longer he stayed like this…

“No, Misaki won’t die,” she murmured, needing to hear the words aloud, her eyes tearing up as she realised that it didn’t sound any more believable that it did within the confines of her own mind. _Misaki can’t die, he has to come back to us._ It was the mantra that HOMRA were living by at the moment, and she sniffled, reaching up to rub her hand across her eyes. _I have to believe that._

   Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look at Misaki, struggling not to burst into tears at the lack of change and instead focusing on the rise and fall of his chest and the way his breath fogged up the oxygen mask. It was the one sign of improvement they had received when he had been taken off the ventilator the day before, and a weak smile tugged at her lips as she reached out to run her fingers through his hair.

“Misaki, you really are amazing,” she whispered, hesitating for a moment before brushing her lips against his forehead. _You’re holding on, even though you probably don’t want to fight any more. You’re still here, thank you._ Sniffling she sat back in her seat, studying him for a moment before taking a deep breath and launching into tales of happier times, hoping that she could remind him that things had once been a lot better. And that maybe somewhere among those memories he would be able to find something to fight for, something to draw him back to them.

_Mikoto…Tatara…please don’t take him away as well…_

**

   Fushimi had finally lost patience with the hospital and signed himself out against medical advice, needing to get a break from everything that was happening with Misaki. Yet rather than taking the opportunity to go home and rest properly, he found himself hobbling up the stairs of headquarters, cursing his crutches with every other breath even though he knew that without them he would have landed in an undignified heap. He found himself hesitating in front of the door, feeling somewhat like a stranger as he stared at the logo on the door for a moment. And it was only Misaki’s voice echoing in his mind, telling him that he wasn’t a traitor that made him take the final step, struggling to open the door and not fall over his crutches and he was startled when the door was yanked out of his hand.

“What are you doing here?” Awashima was stood on the other side, one hand on her hip as she studied him with narrowed eyes and he found himself swallowing nervously as she scowled at him. He still hadn’t got over her odd behaviour the day he had woken up or the fact that she had stopped by the hospital at least once a day since then. At first, he had thought the visits were going to be related to business, but she had never once talked about what was going on with their clan during that time, instead focusing entirely on him and how he was healing. It was disquieting. The sound of her clearing his throat dragged him back into the present, and he blinked as he recalled that she had asked him a question and was clearly waiting for a reply.

“I…” _What was he doing here?_ He hadn’t even planned to come here, and now he found himself completely at a loss as to how to respond and in the end he found himself shrugging. She stared at him for a moment longer, and he wondered just what she saw in his face, and he found himself scowling awkwardly and glancing down at the ground, only to look up again when she sighed.

“You might as well come in and see the Captain since you’re here,” she suggested, stepping aside and waving him in and somewhat dumbfounded Fushimi found himself obeying, jumping slightly as the door closed behind him and her hand came to rest on his shoulder. “Welcome home, Saruhiko,” she murmured softly, squeezing gently for a moment before moving ahead to lead the way and he found himself frozen for a moment, his heart pounding in his ears _. I’m home?_ There was a strange warmth in his chest as he hobbled after him, and it was only when they had reached the main staircase that he managed to get his voice to work.

“Thank you…”

_I’m home, so Misaki, it’s time for you to come home too._

**

   Anna’s voice was beginning to grow hoarse, and she was relieved when she heard movement by the door, looking up to find Kamamoto standing in the doorway and she opened her mouth to greet him when she realised that he wasn’t looking at her. But instead at Misaki, and there was something in his expression that had her turning even as the blond whispered her name.

“Anna…”

   Misaki’s eyes were open, and for a moment her mind went completely blank. _Misaki…_ His hand was still limp in her grasp, but there was no denying the fact that his eyes were open. That he was awake, and there were tears in her eyes as she sprang to her feet and moved closer to his side, barely aware of Kamamoto moving cautiously to the end of the bed.

“Misaki?” She asked, keeping her voice soft so as not to startle him, well aware that he was probably unprepared for his change in circumstances and she offered him a watery smile as she squeezed his hand, unable to hide her relief. “You’re awake!” There was nothing. No flicker of response in his expression, no tightening of his fingers around her, and dread began to pool in the pit of her stomach as she realised that while his eyes were open, he wasn’t actually focusing on anything. “Misaki?” Fear seeped into her voice, and she leant forward to insert herself into his line of sight, breath catching at the deadened look in his eyes. Those weren’t Misaki’s eyes - there was no fire, no spark and she glanced helplessly across at Kamamoto. “He’s…it’s not him…”

_Misaki, where are you?_

*

   It had been hours since Misaki had woken, after hearing Anna’s broken whisper Kamamoto had fetched the Doctor and the pair had found themselves being asked to leave while the vanguard was subjected to a battery of tests. In that time, they had called Fushimi and Kusanagi, deciding to wait to tell the rest of HOMRA once they actually knew something, none of them knowing what to make of this latest development. On the one hand, Misaki had proven their worst fears wrong by waking up, but now fresh fears were brewing as they contemplated just how much of the vanguard might have been lost because of all this. The silence had been tense as each of them lost themselves to their thoughts…broken promises, and the knowledge of what he had endured hanging over them.

   The news when it had finally come, had been less than encouraging. Yata was awake, he reacted to stimuli and would obey commands when they were given, but he had refused to engage with any of the Doctors or Nurses, never once focusing his gaze on them and making no effort to communicate, even when it was apparent the tests were causing discomfort. And more than once he had flinched, or hunched in on himself during the tests as though expecting to be hurt. At this news the foursome had exchanged pained but knowing looks, as with anything related to the clans, only a certain amount of what had happened to Misaki had been shared. So only they knew exactly what lay behind those responses, and the tension in the air had intensified…

   In the end, Anna and Fushimi had left Kusanagi and Kamamoto to deal with the doctors, the suggestion that they might need to admit Misaki into longer-term care causing Anna’s aura to flare out. With the Doctor’s permission, they had slipped away to visit Misaki, needing to see for themselves the extent of the change that had been wrought in the vanguard. Fushimi naively believing that even just seeing Misaki’s eyes open would ease some of the tension coiled in his chest, unable to shake the terror that had gripped him when he had collapsed back in the base, unprepared for the pain that hit him when he set eyes on Misaki for the first time.

   It was worse in a way stepping into the hospital room to find him sitting up in the bed, his eyes opened, although drooping with visible exhaustion, but with no sign of acknowledgement or recognition as they entered and moved to his side. There was nothing, not even a flicker to show that he was aware of their presence and Fushimi was unsurprised to hear something that sounded suspiciously like a sob from his companion as she reached out with shaky hands to grasp one of Misaki’s. This was not what he’d had in mind when he had pleaded with Misaki to come back to them, and he closed his eyes for a moment, hating himself as the thought that maybe it would have been better for Misaki to remain unconscious rather than facing this slipped across his mind.

“Misaki…?” Anna for once sounded completely her age as she tried to get the vanguard to look at her, her bottom lip quivering as she tried to stop herself from crying when there was no sign he had even heard her. Fushimi sighed, willing the vanguard to do something…anything…to reassure her, them…me…that this was merely a pause on the journey to coming back to them, feeling his own expression beginning to crack as Misaki continued to stare at some point that only he could see. _What are you seeing?_ The Blue had a feeling that he probably didn’t want to know, after everything that had happened, Misaki probably had a whole host of memories that he could be lost in. Memories that he feared might still steal the vanguard away from them.

“Misaki,” Fushimi said hesitantly, realising that for now, Anna didn’t have the strength to continue as she dropped Misaki’s hand and turned away to hide the tears that were now trickling down her cheeks. It was hard…far harder than it should have been for him to summon the courage to move closer, leaning against the bed so that he could release his crutches and reach out to grasp Misaki’s other hand. “Misaki,” he repeated softly, hoping to draw the vanguard’s attention, but again there was nothing, and he forced himself to continue, hoping that however far Misaki was trapped inside himself, he might at least be able to hear him. “Thank you…thank you for coming back to us.” Even if it didn’t feel like it, he knew that they had to at least acknowledge the effort it must’ve taken to get this far, and he faltered for a moment, wondering if it was fair of them to ask for something more. “You’ve managed to do this much…please find the strength to come back all the way.”

“We’ll wait,” Anna’s quiet voice startled him, and he glanced across to find that she had composed herself a little, although her cheeks were still streaked with tears and there was a waver to her voice as she took Misaki’s hand once more. “We’ll wait until you have the strength. Until you’re ready to come back to us, just keep fighting Misaki. Please.” Crimson eyes sought out his, and Fushimi nodded slightly in agreement. Yes, he would wait, no matter how long it took, or how painful it was he would wait,  because he owed Misaki that much, and because there was no way he was ready to admit that they had lost the vanguard.

_So please Misaki, come back…_


	27. Chapter 27

Five days later:

   Fushimi hesitated for a moment outside of Misaki’s room, it had been getting harder and harder to go and visit the vanguard. To see him sitting there with those blank eyes. It had been nearly a week since he’d first woken, and there was still barely any progress in getting him to come out from the shell that he seemed to have erected around himself. Occasionally his gaze would focus on whoever was with him, but there was no way to tell what he was thinking or feeling and he wouldn’t respond to their words, no matter what they said to him. They’d tried everything, talking about the past, the future, about the repairs at HOMRA and in the city…everything apart from what had happened to him. The one time they had even brushed against the subject, had also been the one time they’d got a proper response from him, only it hadn’t been one to celebrate…

_It was the third day since Misaki had woken up, and they had just begun to get him to focus on people, noticing that there were certain people that he seemed to react to more than others. He adamantly refused to look or respond in the slightest to Kamamoto, much to his best friend’s distress, and he was wary around Kusanagi and the rest of HOMRA as well, sometimes seeming to focus on them for a fleeting second, although it was hard to tell. The exception was Anna. Even when he wasn’t willing or able to concentrate on her properly, they always got the sense that he was aware of her and actually listening to her words, something that had brought a smile to her lips until they had realised that it was always underlain by a hint of fear. Fushimi wasn’t sure where he stood on the spectrum, which bothered him more than he cared to admit, although he was relieved that he hadn’t yet seen fear in response to his presence._

_It had been just him and Anna who were sat with Misaki that afternoon, Kusanagi having volunteered to take Anna’s place at a meeting with Scepter 4 who had been ordered to compose a report about what had happened. While the rest of HOMRA were focused on finishing the repair works on the bar, as the doctors had indicated that Misaki would be able to be released within the next week barring any complications, and they wanted to erase the evidence of the attack that had allowed him to be taken from them._

_They had been chatting between themselves about the repairs, trying to involve Misaki as much as possible, although he just stared at whatever distant point was occupying his thoughts. Something that made Fushimi’s stomach clench uncomfortably whenever he tried to guess what it was, unable to forget Misaki’s distress when he had realised what he had done to Yukari. Unable to get that broken chant of ‘I killed him’ out of his head, and he was terrified that even now that thought was ringing through the vanguard’s head and stopping their words from reaching him._

_“We’re going to have a room that’s all yours so that you can stay with us until you’re completely healed,” Anna was saying softly to Misaki when he dragged his attention back to the present. Blinking as he realised hazel eyes had finally focused on her, although there was still no expression on his face it was clear that he was listening._ _“You’re coming home soon Misaki, back to HOMRA…” It was Fushimi who spotted the change in the vanguard’s eyes first, managing to pull Anna back just as green and crimson sparks erupted around Misaki, the fleeting shadow that had appeared giving way to terror as he seemed to notice what was happening._

_“No! No! No!” It was the first time he had spoken since waking, his voice hoarse and cracked and Fushimi winced at both the sound and the words, glancing at Anna in the hopes that she would know what to do as he felt completely out of his depth. However, she was stood beside him, eyes wide as she stared at Misaki, trembling as the frantic cries continued._

_“Misaki…”_

_“Misaki calm down,” Fushimi pushed past her, realising that she was in no state to help and not wanting the nurses to come bursting in. “Calm down!” He ordered more sharply, taking a deep_

_breath before reaching out and grabbing Misaki’s hand, hissing as the weakened auras lashed against his skin but it was clear that Misaki wasn’t trying to attack but rather than defend and so he bore the discomfort and squeezed the vanguard’s hand. It took a moment or two but slowly frightened eyes drifted towards him, and for the first time he could tell the vanguard was focusing on him. It took another moment before slowly the crimson and green began to dissipate, his frantic chanting dying away to a soft whimper and Fushimi struggled to offer him a reassuring smile even though all he wanted to do at the moment was curl up and cry. “That’s it, take a deep breath for me,” he coached softly._

_They had remained like that for nearly ten minutes, Fushimi gently coaching Misaki as he had slowly calmed down. Anna had slipped from the room after an attempt to move closer had triggered a brief flicker of crimson and green around Misaki’s hands, and the blue had caught the tears on her cheeks before she left. But he hadn’t been able to say anything, his entire focus on the vanguard, which was why he caught the guilt in the wide eyes that followed Anna’s retreat. While it was nice to be able to see that some of Misaki at least still existed, that was the last emotion they needed the teen to be drowning in, he just wasn’t sure how to pull the smaller teen away from it._

_“Misaki…”_

_“I don’t want to go back…”_

   It had taken Fushimi a while to realise what Misaki had meant. At first, he had thought that he was referring to HOMRA, and panic had blossomed at that thought. Ironic considering his old attitude towards the red clan, but he wanted Misaki to be able to go home, and he knew that it was something the vanguard needed even if he didn’t realise it just yet. It was only later, once Misaki had calmed and dozed off, the outburst exhausting what little energy he had that it occurred to the blue that the vanguard had been staring at his hands when he’d said that. That he had been staring at the green sparks that had still been flickering across his fingers, and in a way that had been worse, to think that even a small part of the vanguard could believe for a moment that returning to JUNGLE was even an option.

   The expressions on Anna and Kusanagi’s faces when he’d explained his suspicions had been nothing short of terrifying…It had been battle and a half to stop them from bursting in on Misaki and trying to pound it into his head that he wasn’t going anywhere but home. However, in the end, they’d had to agree with his point that Misaki wasn’t in any state to believe them, and that being too forceful at this point was only going to push him further away.

   Sighing he stepped up to the window so that he could peer inside, and his breath caught as he realised that Misaki wasn’t actually in the bed where he was supposed to be and for a moment his mind went completely blank with panic. Only the knowledge that Misaki still lacked the strength to venture too far stopped him from descending into a full-blown panic and the took a deep breath as he moved to the door and pushed it open, his previous hesitation completely forgotten.

“Misaki…” He trailed off as he finally spotted the vanguard, an undefinable emotion rising in his chest as he stared at him for a moment. Misaki was stood by the window, his gaze more focused than it had been since he’d woken and a painfully lost expression on his face. Fushimi found himself hesitating, feeling as though he was intruding on something private, but eventually the fact that he could actually see emotion, even a negative one on the vanguard’s face made him take a step forward. “Misaki?” The smaller teen tensed at his voice, hands clutching at the window ledge and the blue paused as he realised just how badly they were trembling.

_Please don’t be afraid of me…_

“Saru…” The quiet whisper a moment later was so soft that for a moment Fushimi thought that he might have imagined it. Especially as Misaki’s gaze hadn’t shifted from whatever he was focused on out of the window, but he had the same strange awareness that he’d had all week that told him Misaki was actually paying attention to him.

“What are you looking at?” Fushimi asked as he cautiously moved closer, forcing down the urge to scold Misaki for being up and about when he was meant to be resting. Unable to forget that not long ago the Crow’s movements and behaviour had been dictated by his captors. There was no way he was going to risk saying or doing anything that would make him anything like them.

“Nothing…” The silence had stretched on so long that Fushimi had thought that he wasn’t going to get a reply, and he had been contemplating how to try and get the vanguard back to bed when Misaki finally replied. He had to fight back a groan at the unhelpful answer, but he was saved from trying to think of something to say by Misaki continuing in a soft voice. “There…there wasn’t a window…in…” _In that room_ , the words hung heavily in the air between, filled with memories and pain and Fushimi swallowed nervously as he thought back to that room. “I could… just fly free…” Misaki raised a trembling hand to the window, fingers brushing the pain and there was a yearning in his gaze that frightened Fushimi, who found himself moving forward and gently grasping the vanguard’s arm.

“Come and sit down before you fall down,” he suggested gently, _please don’t fly away from us_ ,  he added silently, not liking the way Misaki was fixated on the window now. There was a brief moment of resistance, and he thought that the vanguard was going to protest, but the moment passed as quickly as it had arrived and Misaki let himself be guided back to the bed, leaning heavily against Fushimi which reassured the blue that he had been right to herd him back to bed.

“I’m not free.” Misaki’s words made him pause in the middle of rearranging the covers over the smaller teen, his hands clutching the blanket as he lifted his gaze, dismayed to realise that the blank mask and empty eyes were slowly reappearing. “It’s still here…the green…Y-Yukari…”

“No,” Fushimi growled, his voice harsher than he had intended and he paused as Misaki flinched at his tone, forcing himself to adopt a softer tone as he added. “He’s gone. With time the green will disappear as well.” They had no idea how long any of their auras would last, but he knew that some of his clan and some of HOMRA had already reported a weakening of their powers. Eventually, they would all be normal people once more. I just wish that we could banish that green once and for all, he thought bitterly as he reached out to grasp Misaki’s hands, stopping him from digging his nails into his palms. “You are free of them!”

“No…” Misaki shook his head, carefully pulling his hands free of Fushimi’s and for a moment their gazes met directly, all barriers gone from the hazel eyes and the Blue swallowed at the sheer amount of pain in eyes that had always been so full of life. “I’m not…you should have left me there…”

   Fushimi opened his mouth to protest, but he could tell that it was already too late, the shutters had come down once more, and he blinked back tears as he realised that Misaki had slipped back into the place where their words couldn’t reach him. _Misaki_ …He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, determined not to let the tears fall. He didn’t have the right, not right now when Misaki was fighting that amount of pain, but still, it was hard to hold them back as defeat washed over him. Once he was confident that he wasn’t going to lose control he opened his eyes and sank into the chair beside Misaki’s bed, hesitating for a moment before reaching out to take the vanguard’s hand once more, torn between relief and disappointment when there was no response.

_Misaki, how do we bring you back from this?_

****

That evening:

   Kamamoto could feel Kusanagi’s eyes on him, but he couldn’t bring himself to look up at the older man and instead focused on draining his drink, fingers tightening around the glass so much that he was surprised it didn’t shatter when he heard a soft sigh. He blinked in surprise when rather than shouting at him, Kusanagi moved across to him, setting a new drink in front of him and he slowly lifted his head to stare at the older man, feeling guilty as he saw the concern in the dark eyes studying him.

“Thanks” he muttered as he grabbed the new drink, gulping it down and pulling a face at the taste. He usually wasn’t a big drinker, and not just because he had always needed to pay attention to stop Yata from causing too much havoc. Because while Yata didn’t drink, and had never even tried to get around it, he tended to get hyped up when the others were drinking and cause far more chaos than the rest of the idiots could when drunk. _He used too_ …The glass slipped from his fingers as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop the tears that he could feel forming and he was barely aware of Kusanagi catching it and setting it carefully aside. Only coming back to the present when he felt a gentle hand come to rest on his shoulder and he opened his eyes to find the older man leaning towards him with a frown.

“Rikio?”

“I…” Kamamoto trailed off for a moment, his emotions rising and choking him and it took him a moment to get his voice to work again, not even attempting to hide his pain. “He’s scared of me. He won’t even let me close, and I…” _I don’t know how to deal with this. I don’t know how to fix it._  He hadn’t known what to do the first time he’d realised that Yata was actually pulling away from him, at first he’d thought that he was just being ignored, but there was no missing the fact that the vanguard was genuinely frightened of him, but he had no idea why, and it was killing him. They had finally got him back, and he would hopefully be home soon and yet for Kamamoto it felt almost as though he was further away than ever and he hated it…

   Kusanagi sighed, unsure of what there was that he could say to comfort the younger man. It wasn’t as though they weren’t in a similar position, as Yata was wary around all of them even Anna/ His expression darkened slightly at that thought, remembering how upset she had been the afternoon that Misaki had reacted poorly to her words and he was reasonably sure that she hadn’t smiled once since then. However, he knew that Kamamoto was also fighting with the fact that they had been best friends and his guilt over being unable to protect Misaki the day he was taken, or to bring him back…and Kusanagi dreaded to think what must’ve been done to Yata to make him fear someone that he had never doubted in the past.

“He’s scared,” he began hesitantly, ignoring the snort that met that understatement, his gaze drifting to the photos once more. Looking at them now, it was nearly impossible to reconcile the Yata in the hospital with the one laughing, smiling and living in those pictures and his fingers tightened for a moment on Kamamoto’s shoulder, and he forced himself to pull back before adding softly. “It’s going to take a while for him to realise that he’s safe, you can’t blame him for that.”

“I don’t…” Kamamoto blurted at once, colouring slightly as he lowered his head so that he was staring at the counter. “I just want him home. I want Yata back.”

_I want him to look at me, and see me as a friend once more._

**

   Anna hummed softly to herself as she moved around the room they had created for Misaki. He had obviously been uncomfortable with staying in Mikoto’s room last time, and she knew that it would only be worse now and so she had claimed the room where Kusanagi had stored all his paperwork for the vanguard, the paperwork now stashed down in the cellar until it could be properly sorted. She had been touched by how willing everyone had been to help redecorate the room, even Izumo who had protested that everyone was forgetting about the rest of the repairs that his beloved pub needed, had spent whatever time he had free in here, and it was nearly ready. She just hoped that Misaki was going to let them bring him home, that he would give them a chance to prove to him that what had happened with JUNGLE was well and truly open.

   She faltered in the middle of sorting through the clothes that Rikio had brought over from Misaki’s flat, her hands trembling as she recalled his outburst from the other day. She had honestly thought that he was saying that he didn’t want to come home, that he didn’t want to come back to HOMRA, and something had shattered in her at that thought. Misaki had always been part of her family, her home and the idea that he might be willing to walk away from that. That thought had terrified her to the point where she hadn’t even been able to reach out to try and help calm him, something that she still felt guilty for, remembering the sound of his panicked breathing. _I ran away_ …In a way, it had been worse when Saruhiko had sought her out later to tell her that Misaki had been talking about JUNGLE, because not only had she panicked over nothing and ran away from him, but there had been no hint of blame in the Blue’s eyes. It would have been better if he had just yelled at her because she knew that even if Misaki showed nothing outwardly, he was probably watching every one of their reactions and using that to determine his own actions.

   The fact that he could think or at least fear that they would let him go back to JUNGLE, not that there was enough of the Green clan left for that to happen, broke her heart and made her wish in a way that Nagare was still alive. She had fought him, but she hadn’t been able to make him pay for his role in hurting her vanguard. With all of his tormentors except for Sukuna who was still enjoying SCEPTER 4’s hospitality gone, and the rest of the clan dispersed, she had no idea how they could convince Misaki that was never going to happen, and her gaze drifted around the room. It was only little gestures, but they had made sure that there was nothing green in the room, and nothing remotely similar to the place they had kept him in, but was it going to help?

_Tatara. Mikoto…please show him that he’s still red, that he still belongs here because I don’t know how to reach out to him…_

_I don’t know how to bring him home…_

**

   Fushimi sighed as he flung himself back on his bed, hissing slightly as he jostled his still healing leg and biting back the urge to curse and instead groaning as he draped his arm across his face. He’d had enough…of everything for the time being. Now that Misaki was on the mend, the hospital had begun to enforce proper visiting hours, and so he had been chased out a few hours ago, with nothing but a growing uneasiness in his stomach. Misaki had not responded to him once after that sort-of conversation, and he feared what ideas might be forming behind that blank mask, and he had been reluctant to leave.

   He’d dropped by SCEPTER 4 in the hopes of being distracted from his worries, but he had found himself unable to focus on anything even after persuading an incredibly reluctant Awashima to give him paperwork to do. He was still banned from the field and had been told in no uncertain terms that he was on leave until things were calmer, but there must’ve been something pathetic in his face, because she had sighed and handed him a small pile of files that just needed finishing off, making him promise not to mention this to Munakata. It had been nice to have something so mundane to do, but it wasn’t enough to cut off his anxious thoughts, and in the end, he had been forced to admit defeat. Ignoring the knowing look she had sent in his direction when he’d slipped out a while later, only now he groaned, wondering just when he had become so easy to read. _About the same time that Misaki was taken, and when I realised that I actually belong with these idiots…_ his lips quirked weakly at that thought, but the glimmer of amusement disappeared almost at once, unwilling to let himself enjoy the sensation of being home…of having a home, when Misaki couldn’t see that he had the same thing.

_Misaki…_

****

   Dulled hazel eyes slipped open, and Yata stared blankly at the ceiling for several minutes, still surprised every time he found himself staring at the neat, hospital tiles rather than the blank, painted ceiling of his prison. Every time he woke he expected to find himself back there. It felt too good to be true to think that he was actually out of there. That all of this was real, and he didn’t dare let himself even begin to believe it. Looking out of the window earlier had almost made him think that it could be real. The sight of freedom so close, and yet still out of reach…He could vaguely remember his conversation with Fushimi, although the memories were hazy at best. It was hard to focus on things like that, things that might not even be real.

_I’m not free…_

   Grimacing he rolled onto his side, his hand rising to his chest to scratch at his chest, only to come up short as all his fingers felt was bandages. _It’s bandaged…hidden_ …For a moment his fingers tightened against the dressing, itching to scratch at the burn underneath before he snatched them away guiltily. He could remember the pained expressions he had been greeted with when the others had realised what had happened to his mark, and what he had done. _I did this_ …He had waited for the angry words, waited for the reactions he had anticipated from the moment he had burnt it away, but there had been nothing but sadness and murmured apologies. Words that seemed to come from an insurmountable distance away. Words that he couldn’t let himself trust. _They didn’t come, they moved on without me…they gave me to Yukari…_

   His breathing hitched at the thought of the older man, and he squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to lose himself back in the numbness that had been wrapped around him since he’d woken. But his thoughts were too close to the surface right now, and a low whimpered slipped out as he huddled into a ball, the memories he had been fighting so hard to keep at bay surging to the forefront. Desperately he clutched at his head, fingers tangling in his hair as he tried to drive the images away. He didn’t want to remember. He didn’t want to know what he had done…that this was all an illusion…he didn’t want to know, but his mind wasn’t listening to him, and thick tears slipped down his cheeks as he lost the battle against the memories, the images slamming into him full force and an inarticulate cry escaped as he began to claw at himself.

_I killed him…I’m a traitor…I killed him…_


	28. Chapter 28

   Fushimi grumbled as an irritating beeping noise broke through his sleep, it had taken him forever to fall asleep, and he resented the disturbance. However, he groped for his PDA, blinking at the screen and just about making out Kusanagi’s name on the screen and for a moment he contemplated just ignoring it. He hadn’t slept enough, and what sleep he had got had been interrupted by dreams. Dreams of being too late, of losing Misaki back in that base. Sighing he forced himself to accept the call, pressing the PDA against his ear as he rolled onto his side, squinting at his alarm clock and unable to keep the growl out of his voice after realising that it was just past one in the morning.

“Fushimi.”

_“Fushimi, have you seen Yata?”_

“No. Why?” Fushimi was fully awake now, all thoughts of sleep disappearing as he pushed himself upright in bed and reached for his glasses. There was no missing the panic in the older man’s voice, and an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. _Misaki…_

 _“He’s gone.”_ The uneasy feeling blossomed into a full-blown panic at those words. _I should never have left him_ , not that it had really been his choice in the first place. With great difficulty, he forced his attention back to the conversation as he realised that Kusanagi had continued while he had been lost in his thoughts. _“The hospital called us, the nurse went to check on him, and he was gone…”_ Kusanagi trailed off, and Fushimi could vaguely make out voices in the background, easily picking out Anna’s worried tone and he closed his eyes. This was the last thing any of them needed, and worse was the realisation that he at least should have expected it. He had seen how Misaki was acting earlier in the day, but he had foolishly hoped that nothing would come of it. _“Do you have any idea where he would go?”_

“I…” Fushimi trailed off mid-reply, eyes narrowed as he stared into the half-darkness of his room. _Where would he go?_ In the past the answer would have always been HOMRA or his flat, Misaki had always been one to hole up somewhere familiar where he felt safe when he was stressed, or upset. But both those sanctuaries had been well and truly destroyed, and Fushimi had no idea if they would ever be able to get the vanguard to return to either place. He worried his bottom lip, struggling not to panic completely at the thought of the barely responsive teen wandering around the city. JUNGLE might have fallen apart, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t anyone out there who would leap at the chance to take out the vanguard, and his face was well-known thanks to the bounty that had been put on his head. _Damn it Misaki, where would you go?_ He paused, thoughts drifting back to their conversation that morning, and his eyes widened in alarm as Misaki’s words came back to him and he couldn’t stop his sharp intake of breath. _‘You should have left me there…’_

_“Fushimi?”_

“I think I know where he will have gone…” _I just really wish I was wrong, he_ didn’t say that aloud, not wanting to cause more panic as it sounded like HOMRA was on the edge of utter chaos. “I’ll go after him.”

_“Fushimi, we…”_

“If he’s where I think he is, HOMRA are probably the worst people to show up,” Fushimi cut across him, far more brashly than he had intended and he sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose before adding softly. “Sorry, that came out harsher than I intended.” In the past, he would never have apologised, but he knew that things were very different now…and even if he hadn’t come to at least tolerate HOMRA better than before, he was fully aware that Misaki was eventually going to need all of them if he was going to get completely back to his old self.

_“It’s okay…”_

_“Saruhiko?”_

“Anna?” Fushimi paused in the action of climbing out of bed, guessing that she had snatched the phone of Kusanagi as he could hear the older man protesting in the background and he grimaced at her next words.

_“He’s gone back there hasn’t he?”_

“I think so…” He replied reluctantly, realising that he should have known that she would just be as quick on the uptake and he braced himself for an argument, well aware that she hadn’t yet given up on being able to help the vanguard.

 _“I hate this.”_ Fushimi stilled at her words, it was the first time she had spoken out so strongly, and he wasn’t entirely sure whether she was referring to the entire situation…to Misaki’s condition… or the words he had just said to Kusanagi, although he had sneaking suspicion that technically it was all of them combined together and he stayed quiet, letting her gather her thoughts. “ _I hate not being able to reach him, and not being able to help him. But please, if you can reach him…”_

“I’ll see what I can do,” he didn’t dare promise any more than that, how could he when they had no idea just what was going on in Misaki’s head? _Nothing good,_ He didn’t need to know the particulars to know that much, and his expression darkened. _Misaki._ “I’m going, I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as I can.”

_“All right…just please, don’t let him do something stupid.”_

“Yeah,” Fushimi muttered before hanging up, not wanting to waste any more time, especially as that last bit had made his stomach twist unpleasantly. _Misaki, you’re not that broken right?_ He couldn’t even convince himself that the vanguard wasn’t that broken, and he swallowed past a sudden lump in his throat as he stumbled out of bed and turned on the light, searching around for his clothes and praying that they weren’t already too late.

_Misaki, please…_

****

_I killed him…I’m a traitor…I killed him…I’m a traitor…_

   It had become an inescapable mantra in the back of his mind. All he could see was his red. His tainted red, wrapping itself around Yukari, fuelled by his pain and his memories of what that man had done to him, and all he could feel was guilt. _I killed him…I’m a traitor…I killed him…_ Yata wasn’t even sure who he had betrayed anymore…HOMRA? Anna? Saruhiko? Yukari? JUNGLE? All of them? It was hard to focus. Hard to make sense of his thoughts with that mantra running through his mind, and that was why he had fled. Trying to get away from the mantra, away from the memories and he still had no idea how he had actually managed to get out of the hospital without someone spotting him.

He hadn’t escaped…

   The words and memories were following him, snapping at his heels, and he wanted to scream. He wanted it all to end. He wasn’t free, no matter what Fushimi and the others kept trying to tell him, he knew that he wasn’t free and that he probably never would. How could he be? He had abandoned HOMRA, destroyed the mark that he had once sworn he would never be able to lose. Surrendered his red, and let the green seep in, and then he had turned traitor yet again. He knew that he had saved Fushimi, but it wasn’t enough, it didn’t change the fact that he had betrayed JUNGLE, or that he had killed a man.

_I killed him…I’m a traitor…I killed him…_

   Nausea rose at that thought, and he stumbled to a halt as he clapped a hand to his mouth. _I killed him…I killed him…I KILLED HIM!_ It was a losing battle, and with a low cry, he turned his head to the side just as he lost what little control he had over his stomach, doubling over with a whimper as he emptied what little he had managed to eat that day, praying that no one was going to walk past. _I killed him…I killed him…_ He was barely aware of the tears streaking down his cheek, slowly straightening as the heaving stopped and grimacing at the taste in his mouth and wiping a trembling hand across his lips. Throwing up had set his entire body ablaze with pain, and weakly he sank back against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to block everything out. But there was no escape…

_I’m a traitor…I killed him…I’m a traitor…I killed him…I’m a traitor…_

“Stop, please just stop,” he whispered, even though he knew that it wasn’t going to help and slowly he opened his eyes. _I have to go back_. It was the underlying thought, deeper and darker than the never-ending mantra which had driven him forward this far, and now it surged back to the front, and he shuddered. The thought of going back there terrified him, the memories of that too small room…of the pain…of the betrayal. _I can’t go back…I have to go back…I have to go back…_ He lifted his hands, gripping handfuls of his hair, the contrasting thoughts pressing in on him, the weight becoming more and more unbearable by the moment.

   Finally, with a choked sob he forced himself forward once more, his legs quaking at the effort of keeping him going, but the pain from his injuries was long forgotten now, all thoughts focused on getting back to the JUNGLE base. On silencing the thoughts rampaging through his mind, and the mantra still playing over all of it.

_I killed him…I’m a traitor…I killed him…_

*

   It was far easier than it should have been for him to skirt the barriers that had been set up, the area around the JUNGLE base still mostly sealed off, but he supposed that no one would be expecting him to go back there. _And no one will be looking for me…_ He knew that there was something wrong with that thought, unable to completely shake the memory of worried eyes and voices around his bed and gentle hands wrapped around his, but those memories and impressions seemed so distant in comparison to the never-ending mantra, and he didn’t dare put any faith in them. _I believed in them before, and all it did was cause me more pain…_

_“You’re a liar…” Yata managed to force out after a moment, jerking away from Yukari and his ministrations, he’d rather ride out the pain of his injuries on his own than accept ‘help’ from the older man. “I know they won’t give up on me. I believe in them…” The next thing he knew there was fresh pain blossoming on his already injured cheek, and he couldn’t stop himself from crying out, staring wide-eyed at Yukari even as he lifted his hand to his now stinging cheek and he grimaced as he tasted copper in his mouth. “What the…?”_

_“Silence Little Crow,” Yukari cut him off harshly, and Yata immediately fell silent, hearing the threat in his voice and barely resisting the urge to cower away from it. The cold eyes remained fixed on him for a moment, and slowly he let his hand fall away from his stinging cheek, lowering his head even more and clenching his hands nervously in his lap. Apparently, that had been the correct response, as the older man reached out and patted his head, although the gesture felt anything but comforting and it took all of Yata’s willpower not to pull back. “You shouldn’t cling to such foolish ideas; things will only get better for you when you accept the fact that they have given up on you.”_

   Yata swallowed hard, unnerved by how vivid the memory was. It was so easy to imagine that Yukari was there beside him, whispering those words in his ears, twisting everything until Yata no longer knew what was right or wrong… _I killed him…I killed him…_ His hand crept up to his chest again, scratching at the burned HOMRA mark through the bandages. _I killed him…I’m a traitor… I killed him…_ His aura was beginning to flicker around him, his emotions surging wildly as he moved forward, his gaze locked on the large crater that led down to the remains of the JUNGLE base. It was strange seeing it from this angle, it was the only detail he had really paid attention to when Anna and the others had tried to tell what had happened. That it was all over. _Did I know it would come to this?_ He baulked for a moment at that thought, green sparks dancing around his skin, sucking in a breath as for the first time he realised there was still a hint of crimson intermingled with the green.

_I’m a traitor…_

   His heart was hammering in his chest as he crept closer to the crater. Part of him wanting to turn around and flee, the memories of everything that had been done to him in that place racing through his mind, but at the same time, he couldn’t bring himself to give in to the urge. _What was the point?_ He had destroyed the one thing he had thought he would always have, his fingers dug into his chest at that thought. _I can’t go back. I can’t go forward_. He knew that the others wanted him to come back, but they weren’t looking for him. They were looking for the Yata that had existed before all of this had happened, but he couldn’t be that person, not now. _I’m a traitor_ , and right now, he couldn’t imagine ever being that version of himself again.

“I’m not free,” he whispered aloud, the words sounding deafening in the silence around him and his fingers dug even deeper, the green around him growing wilder. _I’ll never be free; they all saw to that…_ His eyes were dry now, the pain in his chest too much for tears at this stage, his breathing reduced to strangled gasps as he stepped towards to the edge, eyes wide as he stared down into the depths of the base, his stomach rolling. _I should have never left. I wasn’t supposed to get out of there alive. I was never meant to be free_ …He wavered at the edge, the darkness in front of him inviting him in, offering him an escape from the never-ending cycle of memories and thoughts and with a soft cry he made to move forward, desperate for even a moment of peace from this pain.

_I killed him…I’m a traitor…I have to go back…I’m not free…I’ll never be free…_

“MISAKI!”

*

   Fushimi was out of breath and in a world of pain as he dashed towards the gate to the JUNGLE base, stubbornly ignoring the pain shooting through his leg, well aware that he was probably going to land himself back on bedrest after this. However, as long as Misaki was safe and within his sight, he could live with that, and so he pushed forward, his thoughts whirling with what the vanguard could be thinking. What he could be doing, and what the hell Fushimi was going to say to him to try and stop him from doing anything stupid. He had always been doubtful about his ability to say the right thing to draw Misaki back, but the last few days had increased that uncertainty tenfold. But he had to do this, something telling him that unless he managed to reach Misaki tonight, then he might as well stand back and let the vanguard do whatever the hell he was planning to do.

   He’d never had any intention of letting that happen, but he had been unprepared for the pure, undiluted terror that had flooded him when he reached the gate just in time to see the vanguard far too close to the large drop, and moving closer. For the briefest second, he faltered, stunned to realise that Misaki would actually consider such a thing even if he had guessed what he might be planning. Catching the determination beneath the anguished expression on Misaki’s face, he found his voice once more, terror lending him volume.

“MISAKI!”

   For one heart-stopping moment, he thought that it hadn’t been enough, that Misaki was going to continue with his plan and knowing that there was no way he was going to be able to reach him in time, and he felt tears stinging his eyes. _Misaki! PLEASE!_ It took him a few seconds to realise that the vanguard had actually stopped, the faint green aura that had been dancing around him dying away, and he didn’t even waste time to appreciate the relief that rushed through him. He knew that one wrong move. One wrong word or thought, could set Misaki back on that road and he wasn’t about to let that happen, and he charged forward, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood as his leg protested the movement. _I can’t let him do this. I won’t let him do this._ It was that which allowed him to push through it, and he finally released his abused lip as he reached the smaller teen, dragging an unresisting Yata into a tight hug and yanking him away from the edge.

“What the hell were you thinking?” He demanded far more harshly than he had intended, his heart still pounding with terror as he backed them both away, swallowing as he glanced down into the looming darkness. If Misaki had taken those final steps…if he took those final steps. _We nearly lost him …_ Blinking back tears he turned Yata around, pulling him in so that the smaller teen was resting against his chest as he demanded shakily. “What were you going to do?”

“I have to go back…” Misaki’s voice was barely audible, but the words still managed to cut Fushimi deeply as he recalled how frantically the vanguard had protested going back just a few days before. _What changed? Was it something we did? Something I did? Something I said?_

“Why?”

“I have to go back…” Misaki repeated brokenly, beginning to shudder against him and Fushimi winced at the raw pain contained in those five words. “I have to go back…” Apparently, the vanguard wasn’t as willing to let Fushimi stop him as the Blue had hoped, suddenly beginning to fight against his hold, whimpering and crying out in a desperate tone that Fushimi knew would haunt him for a long time. “LET ME GO! I have to go back…”

“Why?” Fushimi demanded, hanging on for dear life. It was clear that Misaki was only just managing to stay upright, but whatever had driven him out here was clearly giving him the strength to fight onwards, and Fushimi was at a distinct disadvantage because he didn’t want to do anything that would scare the vanguard. “Why do you have to go back?”

   Abruptly Yata pulled back, staring up at him with wide eyes, a wildness to them that frightened Fushimi and he half-expected Misaki to lash out at him, especially as the vanguard’s auras were beginning to dance around him once more. So he was caught by surprise when a sob rocked the smaller teen, before he began to scream, battering at Fushimi’s chest with trembling hands.

“I killed him! I’m a traitor!” Misaki was crying now, tears streaking down his cheeks even as his voice rose in volume and Fushimi struggled not to show his pain, the rain of blows against his chest intensifying. But he would rather take that pain, than the struggling as there was less risk of Misaki breaking free and making for that drop again, but those words. _'I’m a traitor’ - He really believes that. That’s really how he sees himself_. Fushimi knew from experience how painful it could be to accept that title, he had never shown it, but it had hurt to be considered as such…and he really had been a traitor, Misaki hadn’t, but Fushimi had no idea how to convince him of that fact. “I can’t be free. I’m never going to be free! You should all have left me there…I shouldn’t be here…I can’t be here…I destroyed everything…I’m a traitor! SO LET ME GO! LET ME…!”

“NO!” Fushimi finally raised his voice, cutting off the increasingly frantic pleas, unable to bear to listen to them anymore and firmly he reached out to grab the fists still battering against his chest, well aware that he was going to have an impressive set of bruises after this. “I won’t let you go! I am never going to let you go!” Misaki was fighting him again, trying to pull free of him, whining and whimpering as he struggled in vain to get loose and Fushimi could hear him repeating that he was a traitor in between, those words hurting far worse than the blows to his chest had. Finally having enough, he released Misaki’s hands, but before the vanguard could take advantage of that, Fushimi had flung his arms around him in an iron grip. Ignoring the frustrated howl that came as Misaki realised that he lacked the strength to break the Blue’s grip, and instead guiding them both to the ground, struggling to pull the wiggling vanguard into something resembling a comfortable position in his lap and making sure not to loosen his hold in the slightest.

“Let me go…” Misaki’s protests were getting weaker now, even his desperation not enough to combat the effects of his injuries on his strength.

“No,” Fushimi replied softly, lowering his tone to match the broken whisper. “Look at me Misaki,” he ordered, waiting patiently as Misaki seemed to look everywhere but at him, weakly trying to pull himself free a couple more times before admitting defeat and slowly lifting his gaze to meet Fushimi’s. There was no sign of the blank mask that the vanguard had been wearing for the last few days, and as Fushimi took in the raw, heart-breaking emotion on Misaki’s face he almost … _almost_ …wished for that blankness to come back. There was so much pain. A pain that ran so deep that he was terrified that they might never be able to ease it, let alone heal it completely, but he had to try. “Misaki…”

“Why…? Why did you come?” Misaki cut him off, his voice soft but that didn’t soften the blow from his words. “You didn’t come back then…so why bother now?” _Why bother?_ There were a hundred different answers that Fushimi could’ve shouted in response to that, and a hundred others that he desperately wanted to say, but for now, he swallowed all of them back.

“We searched, Misaki,” he said quietly instead, holding back a sigh of relief when Misaki stilled completely in his arms. “Every day after you were taken we were out there looking for you, searching for JUNGLE’s base. I have no idea what that man said to you, but we never stopped looking! And we were never going to!” He couldn’t speak for the entirety of HOMRA, although he doubted their attitude would have been any different, but he knew that Anna, Kusanagi and Kamamoto at least would have searched until the day they knew for sure Misaki was gone. And he would never have been able to turn aside, their newly re-forged friendship and his promises to Misaki would have been enough to drive him onwards for as long as it took.

“No!” Misaki shook his head, unable to bring himself to believe what Fushimi was saying even though part of him yearned too, afraid of the pain that would come if he dared believed in something. _They didn’t look for me. I’m not free. Believing I can have something more will only hurt me._ Yukari’s voice was there, echoing his dark thoughts and he shuddered, his voice rising with a mixture of panic or fear. “You didn’t! He said so…he showed me, Kamamoto took my place. He didn’t try and find me. None of you did! So stop pretending.”

“Misaki…”

“DON’T LIE TO ME!” Misaki’s voice rose in a desperate shout. He couldn’t believe what Fushimi was trying to tell him. If he did, that would mean accepting that Yukari had lied to him. That he had betrayed HOMRA…betrayed Anna...based on a lie and he couldn’t accept that. Green sparks danced across his skin once more, and he let out a broken noise. “Please…” His voice cracked violently, unable to voice his need for it to be a lie. His need to be able to believe that there had been at least some validity in his choice. _I’m a traitor…I’m a traitor…_ Pressure was rising in his chest, tears cascading down his cheeks as his breath caught and he mewled in desperation.

_Please…I can’t have been a traitor for no reason…please…_

“Misaki…” Fushimi whispered, hesitating as he contemplated what to say, sensing that there was something more behind those desperate pleas. Part of him wanting to give in, and say what Misaki wanted to hear if only to spare him a little bit of pain, but he quashed that urge. Lying now would help no-one least of all Misaki, but he just hoped that telling the truth wouldn’t shatter him completely and his voice was soft and hesitant, and he continued. “It’s not a lie. You’re our Misaki, of course, we were going to come for you! We were never going to give up on you. We wanted to bring you home, that’s all we ever wanted, and it’s what we want now…what I want.”

   The soft words washed over him, and Misaki shattered, a broken wail escaping as he fell against Fushimi’s chest, sobbing and howling like a child against the taller teen. Fushimi’s face contorted with pain, his own tears trickling down his cheeks as he cradled Misaki against his chest, burying his face into messy chestnut hair. There was nothing he could say right now, and he doubted that the vanguard would be able to hear him even if he had the words to say, so all he could do was hold on and hope that he hadn’t just broken Misaki completely.

_Misaki…_


	29. Chapter 29

   Fushimi’s leg was screaming at him to move to a more comfortable position, still protesting from the strain of running earlier and he knew that he was going to be in for a hell of a lot of pain for the next few days. It wasn’t helped by the fact that it was a chilly night, and he was beginning to shiver, his rear going numb from being sat on the cold ground for so long. However, despite the discomfort, he had no intention of moving, not now that Misaki was finally allowing him to show something under than the blank mask that he had been clinging to since waking. _Finally_ , _as though he’d had a choice_ , he thought bitterly. Well aware that while the outburst was necessary, it could have been brought about in a better way, and he was still terrified that he might have broken the smaller teen completely.

   The loud wails and sobs were slowly beginning to subside, although he had a feeling that was more to do with exhaustion than anything else, the vanguard still crying and sniffling as he pressed himself against the younger teen. Fushimi’s had forced his own tears back a while before, feeling as though he had no right when Misaki was in so much pain, but his eyes were still stinging as he slowly began to rub a hand up and down Misaki’s back in the hopes of helping him to calm down. He was mindful of the still healing injuries even as he gathered the vanguard closer, feeling that if he didn’t then Misaki might slip away completely.

   His PDA had begun to buzz angrily in his pocket, but he resolutely ignored it even though he knew that the others must be getting increasingly worried as he had no idea how long they had been sat out here, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Their concern while entirely justified, was less important to him than the fact that he was trying desperately to hold Misaki together, and he knew or at least hoped that they would understand later.

    It was nearly half an hour later, although it felt like it had been far longer, that he felt Misaki shifting against him and he blinked as he realised that the soft crying and faded away to an odd hiccupping sob and sniffle. Gently, keeping his movements deliberately slow he pushed the smaller man away just enough so that he could get a clear view of his face, and his heart ached as he took in the pale features now stained with tears, dark shadows highlighting the red-rimmed eyes. _He’s a mess_ , he thought sadly as he reached up and wiped away the tears as best as he could, only to freeze when Misaki grasped his arms, fingers clutching desperately at the material of his coat.

“Saru…”

“What is it?” He asked softly, hating the broken, fragile sound of Misaki’s voice. _That’s not how you’re supposed to sound_ , he thought despairingly, but when he tried to think back and recall how the vanguard had sounded back before all of this had happened. Back before Mikoto died and Anna became King, he was dismayed to realise that he couldn’t summon up a clear memory of what Misaki was supposed to sound like, and he swallowed back a growl as he realised that all he could picture was this broken version of the vanguard. _Just how much has been lost?_ It was disconcerting to realise that even his own memories had been affected by this, and he forced himself to focus as Misaki tilted his head up so that he could peer at him, worried about his expression might be showing at the moment.

“I’m sorry….” Fushimi’s thoughts skidded to a halt at the quiet whisper, something cold and unpleasant forming in the pit of his stomach as the words washed over him. _Why? Why are you saying those words to me?_ Something of his thoughts must’ve shown in his expression because the vanguard had ducked back against him with a whimper, and the desperate hold he had on Fushimi’s arms began to border on painful as a litany of apologies began to fall from his lips. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry…”

“Why?” He was struggling to keep his voice level, wondering what on earth Misaki could possibly think that he needed to apologise for. Praying that he wasn’t trying to apologise for what had happened or what had been done to him, unsure of how he was going to react if that was the case, as he could already feel a bubble of anger rising at the mere thought of it. _Misaki, we’re the ones who should be apologising,_ he wanted to say, and the words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t say them, because he knew just by looking at the vanguard curled against him that Misaki wasn’t ready to hear those words yet. Just hearing that they hadn’t given up on him had caused a breakdown, he shuddered to think what an apology could do. “Misaki, what are you sorry for?” He prompted when there was no response to his original question, the whispered apologies continuing and he wondered if Misaki was even hearing him and he gently wrapped his arms around the smaller as he realised that he was beginning to tremble again, pleading softly. “Misaki please speak to me.”

   Yata shook his head, unable to even begin to think about how to put the storm of emotions that were currently raging into words beyond the apologies already falling from his lips, desperately clinging to Fushimi as right then it felt as though that was the only thing stopping him from being swept away. He felt utterly drained, his head aching and stuffy from his breakdown, his eyes sore…and yet despite the amount of tears that he had managed to shed and the comfort of the Blue’s arms around him, he still felt as lost as ever, if not more so. ‘ _It’s not a lie. You’re our Misaki, of course, we were going to come for you! We were never going to give up on you. We wanted to bring you home, that’s all we ever wanted…and what we want now…what I want.’_  Fushimi’s words echoed in his head, hammering home the fact that he now knew he had become a traitor for no reason. As much as he wanted to deny it, finding himself actually wanting to cling to Yukari’s words if only to escape the pain of that realisation for a little longer. He knew that there was no lie in those words. It had been a long time since he had heard Saruhiko sound so since and desperate to be believed, and oh how he wished it was a lie.

“I’m sorry…” It was all he could say, and it came nowhere close to even scratching the surface of what he wanted or needed to say, and he felt fresh tears trickling down his cheeks. _I betrayed them for nothing,_ his hand had crept up to rest over the bandage covering his HOMRA mark, but a that thought he began to claw of it, barely aware of what he was doing, just needing to do something … anything to atone for what he had done.

    It had taken Fushimi a moment to realise what Misaki was doing, and his heart was hammering in his chest as he grabbed the clawing hand in a desperate grip, realising that the vanguard had managed to tear aside the bandage and agitate the wound beneath.

“Misaki stop!” He pleaded frantically, forced to grab Misaki’s other hand as the vanguard went to continue with that one, clinging to them as Misaki began to fight against him once more even as he continued to whisper apologies with tears dripping down his cheeks. “Stop!” _Nothing changed_ , he realised with a pang, realising just how naïve his hopes that the breakdown would have made a difference had been. _It’s not enough_ …The worst thing was that he had no idea what was needed, what would be enough to break through whatever guilt Misaki was harbouring and the barriers he had built up to survive and that scared him. He had always known how to get through to the vanguard before, whether that was as a friend or a rival, and he worried at his bottom lip. _How do I fix this?_

    He was caught completely by surprise when the fight abruptly drained out of Misaki a couple of minutes later, the smaller teen slumping against him, hands limp in his and panic threatened to overwhelm him for a moment before he focused on the vanguard’s face and saw the sheer exhaustion in it. Cursing himself for forgetting that the idiot had literally just escaped from the hospital, and he gently gathered the smaller teen into his arms, trying to muster a reassuring expression as Misaki blinked wearily up at him, still softly mumbling those cursed apologies.

“I’m sorry…”

“Shh,” Fushimi soothed him quietly. _Please. Please just stop, I can’t listen to this anymore_. Each repetition was a reminder of what they had failed to do, but he didn’t dare say that aloud, well aware that it would be taken the wrong way given Misaki’s current state of mind. “It’s okay, you don’t have to apologise anymore.” _You don’t have to apologise at all_ …His eyes stung at the grateful expression that met his quiet reassurance, and he struggled to hold them back, holding his breath as Misaki nuzzled against him, hazel eyes drifting shut with a final sleepy apology. The Blue remained like that, frozen in place as he waited for Misaki’s breathing to even out completely, before releasing a soft, shaky breath as he studied the vanguard.

_How do we even begin to fix this?_

****

   Anna and Kusanagi were waiting for him at the hospital when he finally got back there with Misaki still asleep in his arms, as he had managed to send them a quick message to say that he had found the vanguard and they were heading back. He found himself hastily glaring them into silence when they threatened to wake Misaki in their relief. Their behaviour was understandable in a way as he hadn’t given them any real information in his message, but he couldn’t bear the thought of disturbing Misaki now when a somewhat peaceful expression had finally crept onto his face. Although it transpired that his concern might have been miss-placed, as the doctor and nurses quickly relieved him of his previous burden, rushing the vanguard off to make sure he hadn’t exacerbated his injuries and despite the flurry of activity the vanguard hadn’t stirred once.

“What happened?” Kusanagi asked when the vanguard had passed out of sight, his expression softening as he took in the weariness lining Fushimi’s face and the way he was favouring his leg, gently ushering both him and Anna towards the chairs at the side of the corridor. “Fushimi?” He prompted when they were settled, not liking the lost expression on the usually composed Blue’s face and he shared a worried look with Anna when Fushimi shook his head silently. They had all begun to fear the worst when he had failed to answer his PDA, but Anna had been adamant that they trust him and there was an understanding expression on her face now as she reached out to grasp Fushimi’s hand.

“He went back didn’t he?” She asked softly, catching the confusion in Kusanagi’s expression and explaining softly. “To the JUNGLE base….” They both caught the flinch that met the mention of the base before he slowly nodded in response.

“What? Why would…?” Kusanagi cut himself off, not needing to finish the questions or hear the answer because they all knew why. Fushimi had told them how the vanguard viewed himself, and what he had done to Yukari. _But, Yata knows we wouldn’t blame him for that_ … He blinked as that thought registered, closing his eyes as he realised for the first time that despite everything that had happened, he hadn’t truly let himself accept the fact that they weren’t dealing with their Yata anymore to sink in. When he opened his eyes again, it was to find Fushimi was staring at him knowing eyes, but before he could think about apologising the teen had looked away, guilt darkening his features.

“I think I made it worse…” He whispered softly, not looking at either of them as his free hand curled into a fist in his lap.

“What do you mean?” Anna asked cautiously, feeling the tremors that were beginning to wrack him as she reached out so that she could take his other hand. There was nothing she could do for Misaki at the moment, but she could help Fushimi, and she needed to feel as though she was doing something. “Saru?”

“He believed everything that man told him,” Fushimi spat, unable to bring himself to say the Green’s name, well aware that even when Misaki had realised he was telling the truth, he had still been trying desperately to cling to those lies. That he had been clinging to Yukari’s words in an attempt to protect himself from them. “He really thought that we had given up on him and that we hadn’t been searching for him, and he couldn’t understand why I was looking for him now. I-I told him the truth…”

 _No_ , he thought to himself, unable to look at either of them _. I destroyed his defences_. _I knew he wasn’t ready to face anything that happened, and yet I had to say it…_ The rational part of him knew that he had said what had been needed, that as much as it had hurt, Misaki had needed to face up to that reality if he was to have any chance of coming back to them. But it was hard to think rationally when Misaki’s crying was still echoing in his ears, and all he could think about was those thrice-cursed apologies that had fallen so easily from Misaki’s lips, and he found his voice exploding out of him before he could stop it. “HE APOLOGISED TO ME!” He realised that the nurse's station a little further along had gone quiet, and he forced himself to take a deep breath before continuing in a softer tone. “He kept saying ‘I’m sorry’ over and over again. and he sounded so broken as he did it.” He swallowed, trying not to think about how he couldn’t even remember what the old Misaki had sounded like. “He was using those lies to protect himself, and I took that away from him…and…”

_Now he might be broken beyond repair…_

“Fushimi…” “Saruhiko!” Anna cut across Kusanagi, her voice fierce as she leaned in towards the Blue, her eyes bright with determination. “Saruhiko look at me!” There was something undeniable about her tone even though she wasn’t his King, and Fushimi found himself looking up despite himself, only to find himself pinned by her gaze. “He needed to know, as much as it might hurt him to know…he needs to know that we didn’t give up, that we were still looking. If he doesn’t know that, then there’s no way he will come back to us…”

“But…”

“He cried didn’t he?” This time it was Kusanagi who took over, remembering the tear tracks that had still been staining Yata’s cheeks when he was carried away, waiting until Fushimi nodded faintly in response before adding gently. “Then while it hurt both of you, it has already done more than our words and promises have done. You got through to him a way that none of us could.”

_I got through to him?_


	30. Chapter 30

   It certainly didn’t feel like his words that night had, had any real effect on Misaki. Fushimi had known better than to think that one breakdown would have been enough to get Misaki to open up, but he had hoped that there would be something, some sign that he had either helped or made it worse. Instead, Misaki seemed to be the same as he had before his escape, facing them all with the same blank mask and silence as before. However, every now and then there seemed to be a hint of something more in the hazel eyes, and Anna swore that the vanguard had begun to look at them more, although only when he thought no one was watching. Fushimi had tried to catch him doing it, but he got the feeling that Misaki was even more cautious around him than the others now as he never once caught the vanguard looking at anyone, but he knew better than to doubt Anna.

   He wasn’t getting to spend as much time as he wanted with the vanguard anyway, as Misaki wasn’t the only one who had got into trouble with the doctors because of his escape. Running around, and eventually carrying the sleeping vanguard back to the hospital had set back Fushimi’s recovery and he had been ordered back onto the cursed crutches to let his leg heal. If that wasn’t bad enough he’d then had to endure lectures from both Awashima and Munakata for being reckless, and the former had declared that if he was well enough to be doing such idiotic things he was well enough to help with the mountains of paperwork they had to deal with in the aftermath of JUNGLE. Her only concession was that he was allowed to take work home and to the hospital as long as he checked in at headquarters once a day, and he had a sneaking suspicion that last bit was just so she could keep an eye on him. However, he hadn’t had the heart to protest when he had caught the concern in her eyes when he’d hobbled out of the door the day before. _I’ve gone soft…_

   He was sat with Misaki now though, paperwork lying forgotten in his lap as he watched the vanguard who was staring off into the distance. Despite his little escapade a couple of days before, Misaki was continuing to make progress, and there was more colour in his face now, and it wouldn’t be long before he was allowed to leave the hospital. The problem was that they had no idea what he wanted to do when he was released. HOMRA already had a room set up for him at the bar, and Kusanagi had taken care of the rent on the vanguard’s flat in case he wanted to go home. Fushimi had also cautiously floated the possibility of Misaki coming to stay in the dorm with him, wanting to make sure that the crow had as many options as possible. The problem was that whenever they had tried to raise the topic with the vanguard, he had just stared at them blankly, and Fushimi was worried that Misaki was still focused on the thought of going back to the JUNGLE base.

“Misaki?” He asked softly, thinking that maybe now it was just the two of them he might get something out of the vanguard, and for a second there was a flicker of something in the hazel eyes. Then it was gone, and Misaki’s gaze was still fixed on whatever it was that he was seeing and thinking about and Fushimi sighed heavily.

_Misaki…_

****

The next day:

“Anna…”

   For a moment Anna was sure that she must’ve imagined the quiet whisper, after all, it was just her and Misaki in the hospital room at the moment as Fushimi was visiting SCEPTER 4 and Izumo had been pulled aside by the vanguard’s doctor when they had arrived. However, when she lifted her head, she was stunned to realise that Misaki was the one that had spoken and that he was currently looking at her properly for the first time in days, although there were so many emotions swirling in his eyes that she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Still, it felt like ages since she had seen even a hint of her crow showing through, and her smile was slightly watery as she inched her chair closer to the bed. _Are you coming back to me Misaki?_

“Misaki?”

“Can…” He swallowed, his voice unwilling to work after he’d kept his silence for so long, and he glanced down at his hands which she realised with a pang were twisted nervously in the material of the covers, as he visibly fought to gather the courage to continue. She desperately wanted to reach out and grasp his hands and murmur encouragements, but she had a feeling that he had to this himself, and that if she spoke up now, he would just end up retreating again. It took a few minutes for him to continue, and when he did, she had to lean forward to catch the whispered words. “C-can you take it away?”

“Take what away?”

“This red,” Misaki’s voice cracked as he lifted his hand, managing to summon up a brief flare of crimson around his hand and for a moment there was nothing but red, and she could see the agony in his eyes as he stared at it. Then as his emotions began to break through his mask, the red changed, green sparks dancing around the edges and she wanted to cry with him as he hastily closed his hand to hide his aura once more, a single tear trickling down his cheek. _JUNGLE_. She hated that even now the Greens were able to hold this much power over him, over them and a part of her wished that their auras would hurry up and disappear so that he would at least be free of that burden. “P-please…” He pleaded.

“Why?” It was hard to keep her voice neutral, all she wanted to do was blurt out a refusal. She wasn’t even sure if she could remove his red at this stage, and she most certainly didn’t want to, but she swallowed back the words. Hoping that if he was forced to explain that she might finally get an insight into what was going through his mind, and why he had been so desperate to apologise to Saruhiko the other night…and how to stop him from slipping away from them completely.

“I…” It was clear that he hadn’t been expecting her to ask for a reason, and he faltered as he stared down at his hands again, and finally, his mask shattered completely and her breath caught at the fear and guilt that seeped into his expression. “I don’t deserve to have it…” The words tiptoed out, barely audible and it took her a moment to realise what he had just said, and this time there was no hiding her shock or horror at his words.

“What?” _How can you even say that? If anyone deserves this red, it’s you…_

“Saru…” Misaki had flinched at her tone, and his voice was even more hesitant than before, and she wished that she could take back her outburst. _But how could he say such a thing?_ Part of her wished that Fushimi or Kusanagi were here as well, while another part sensed that it was important that it was just the two of them. That it was her that he had approached. “H-He told me that you were looking for me and that you never gave up.” It hurt to hear the undertones of surprise in his voice, even though she knew that after they had broken so many promises and failed to get to him in time, it wasn’t really that surprising that he would sound like that…but even that wasn’t as bad as the sheer incredulity in his next words. “That you…would never have given up…” She could see it clearly in his eyes when he lifted his head just enough to peer at her, he really didn’t believe that. She wasn’t even sure that he wanted to and her heart ached at that though, and she couldn’t fight the urge to reach out and grasp his hand, stunned when this time he made no attempt to escape.

“He was right,” she said softly, meeting his gaze when his head shot up at her words. “We couldn’t find you. N matter how hard we tried we couldn’t find JUNGLE until they wanted to be found. But we hadn’t given up, and we wouldn’t.”

“But…” _Why?_

“Because you’re our Misaki, your part of our family,” Anna whispered, heartbroken that he would ever feel the need to question why they wouldn’t give up on him. She blinked back tears as she remembered how fiercely he had protected her back when she had been kidnapped. And his fierce declaration that even if she had the power to protect them and herself now, that they still needed to protect her. Doesn’t he realise that the same applies to him? Some part of him might, but it was clear from the pained look in his eyes that he didn’t dare let himself believe it. “Part of our clan.”

“No!” Misaki cried out desperately. That was the last thing he wanted to hear at the moment, it made the pain from realising that he had betrayed them when they hadn’t betrayed him that much worse. _Can you betray them if they’ve already betrayed? Yes…because I’m the only one that betrayed someone_. That question had returned to haunt him after hearing Fushimi’s words, rising in volume in the back of his mind, until it was a deafening crescendo that blocked out everything else. It was why he had to get rid of this red, it was the only way he had at the moment to atone for that betrayal. “No, I’m not…” His hand crept up to his HOMRA mark. The mark he had sworn he would never destroy, never abandon, and yet because of his weakness he had destroyed it with his own hands. “Not anymore.”

“Stop that,” Anna pleaded, reaching up to grab the hand that was threatening to tear the bandage away from his ruined HOMRA mark, trapping his fingers even as he tried to fight against her and she blinked back tears as she had to raise her voice to stop her. “Misaki!” He jolted as though struck, and she was about to apologise for frightening him. Hating the thought that she had that kind of power now, but he beat her to it, his eyes focused on anywhere but her as he whispered.

“S-sorry…”

“You don’t have to apologise,” Anna could understand Saruhiko’s pain now. It felt wrong to hear that word from the vanguard, to hear the guilt and to realise that he wasn’t asking for forgiveness. He was trying to accept blame for something he hadn’t done, for something that they could never blame him for and there were tears on her cheeks now as she added desperately. “For anything.”

“Y-yes I do,” Misaki stammered, desperately needing her to understand that he did need to apologise for everything. That he had more to apologise for than anyone. However, his emotions were rising faster than he could cope with, his breath catching in his throat as panic threatened to engulf him, his words reduced to broken whispers of sound. “I…I…”

“Take a deep breath,” Anna encouraged him urgently, gripping both of his hands now and deliberately taking slow deep breaths of her own, relieved when Misaki instinctively began to mimic her. In all honesty, she was relieved for the breather, her stomach twisting unpleasantly as she realised just how broken he was, struggling to swallow back her fury at the people that had done this to him. It took a few minutes for his breathing to return to anything approximating normal, and she waited a couple more before squeezing his fingers gently and forcing herself to ask the question that she wasn’t even sure that she wanted the answer to. “What do you think you have to apologise for Misaki?”

“I…”

“Breathe,” she coaxed as he immediately began to freeze up again, and he blinked owlishly at her before obediently taking a deep breath.

“I…believed him,” he managed to whisper a moment later, still stumbling over his words as he lowered his eyes, unable to bear the sight of her teary crimson eyes. _You shouldn’t look at me like that, and you shouldn’t be crying over me…_ He shuddered as his thoughts drifted to crueller eyes, and he was trembling as he continued, wondering if he would ever be able to think about the Green without this mind-numbing terror flooding him. “I believed what Yukari told me…what he showed me. I shouldn’t have, I should have held out, but I didn’t and I…”

“That isn’t something you have to apologise for!” Anna cut off the broken rambling, unable to bear to listen to it any longer, her aura flaring ever so slightly at the thought of what the Green had told Misaki. What he had done to make the vanguard feel like this, to get him to say words that she’d never thought that she would ever hear from the Crow. “Ever,” she added in a softer tone, hesitating for a moment before reaching up to grasp his face with both hands, feeling the tremor that went through him in response to her touch but she didn’t let go, holding him place so that he couldn’t escape her gaze or her next words. “I would rather you joined JUNGLE a hundred times over as long as it meant that you have the chance to come back to us, and Misaki… you can come back from this. You’ve already survived to come back to us alive, and we’re going to wait as long as it takes for you to find your way back.”

“No…”

“Misaki…” She didn’t like the darkness that had seeped into his eyes, and she was unsurprised when he wrenched himself out of her grasp a moment later, his breathing speeding up once as he began to shake his head widely, trying to block out her forgiving words.

“I’m a traitor!” He cried, his voice rising as he saw her beginning to shake her head to deny his words, the words coming out as a broken howl. “I’M A TRAITOR!” Tears were spilling down his cheeks now, his hands creeping up to rest over where his HOMRA mark was, and Anna watched him closely, ready to intercede if he tried to scratch it again. “All those times I snarled at Saru for doing the same thing, but he had a reason… I didn’t…”

“Yes, you did,” Anna cut across him, blinking back tears as she realised that he really believed what he was saying. That he had been trying so desperately to apologise to Fushimi, because they were both traitors and because somewhere along the line Yukari had managed to twist things so that her vanguard could actually blame himself for admitting defeat. There was no doubt in her mind that if he had held out any longer, he would have even broken completely, or been killed. Yukari had not struck her as someone who would tolerate failure in his plan, and it would have been Misaki who had paid the price. “Misaki, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I did…” _Why? Why can’t you see that?_ Misaki couldn’t understand how she could say that so calmly, so certainly… _couldn’t she see that he had let himself become a traitor for no reason?_ He had thrown away the red that Mikoto…that she had given him, and worse he had even turned it against her. Fresh tears trickled down his cheeks at that thought. He had been so desperate to protect her back in the tower the first time, and yet not that long ago he had lashed out at her with the same red that he had promised to protect her with. “I swore I would never betray HOMRA, that I wouldn’t betray you…” He swallowed as he glanced down, wincing as he caught the faint green sparks dancing across his skin in response to his emotions and he clenched his hands into fists. “And then I just threw it all away, because of lies.”

“Because of his lies,” Anna pointed out softly. “Misaki, that is not something any of us can blame you for, and we never will.” Anna wasn’t sure that even she would have been able to hold onto her red under Yukari’s lies and she was the King. There was no way she could or would blame Misaki for doing what he had needed to survive.

“Why can’t you see that I’m a traitor. That I…”

“Because you’re HOMRA,” Anna cut across him softly, having never felt surer about anything as she met his wild gaze, holding it and praying that he would be able to see that she meant every word that she was saying and she really did. In her mind Misaki had always been the embodiment of both their clan and their colour, even now with green dancing around his skin, she could see the tiny spark of crimson that even now he couldn’t get rid of. Gathering her courage, she reached out and grasped his hands, feeling the flinch that went through him, although to her relief he didn’t try to escape. Although she had a feeling that was more to the fact that he lacked the strength to do so, than any real acceptance of what she was saying to him and she held his gaze as she continued. “That will never change, no matter how many colours you have in you.”

   She hesitated for a moment, seeing the disbelief still lingering in his gaze and making up her mind she lurched forward, releasing his hands in favour of wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. He instantly went rigid in her arms, weakly trying to push her away, but his obvious fear of doing anything that could hurt her meant that it was an easy matter for her to tighten her hold on him. _I will show you your red, I will show you that you are still HOMRA, s_ he thought fiercely, closing her eyes as she buried her face in the crook of his neck and let her aura flare. It was already weaker than it had been, and they had no idea how long it would last. How long she would be able to summon this red, and she knew that this might push it closer to the edge, but she didn’t care. If she could show Misaki that he was still HOMRA, then it would all be worth it.

“You are HOMRA,” she whispered fiercely, letting her aura engulf them both and she felt rather than heard the cry that escaped the vanguard as her power washed through him. She’d never had the chance to do the test that Mikoto had used to determine whether someone could join HOMRA, but she could feel her aura doing it for her, seeping into every inch of Misaki and testing him. Mikoto had told her once that the test was different for each King, and would reflect the King’s nature, and to her, it felt like her power was like a pair of wings wrapping itself around Misaki. Not forcing him to join, but offering him the chance even as it searched his feelings…

_I know you’re still in there Misaki, I know that some part of you still want to be part of HOMRA. I KNOW THAT!_

    Yata was crying now, heaving sobs shaking his body as he felt the red sinking into every inch of his body. It was warm and soothing, so different from Mikoto’s and yet at the same time so similar to the crimson that had flooded him the day the older man had tested him. He was waiting for it though, waiting for the moment when Anna’s red would realise who and what he was, for it to reject him despite what Anna had been telling him _._ _I can’t be HOMRA…. I betrayed this red…_ He could feel it, feel the aura testing that words even as they raced through his mind and it took him a moment to realise that it was disagreeing with him, that instead of rejecting him, it was wrapping itself around him in a hug and he shook as its judgement came to him.

_You’re HOMRA…You’re red…_

    Deep inside he could feel his red. The tiny spark that he had thought lost until he had fanned it to life to fight Yukari, and which he had cut off from himself from the moment he had realised what he had done… stirring, and he gasped as it leapt up to brush against Anna’s and a broken wail escaped as he felt the two merging, sweeping through him and corralling the cursed green. He knew that he would never be rid of it, not until their auras faded completely anyway, and even then he felt there would always be something of that hated colour inside him. But he could feel it being pushed to the back, it was fighting every inch of the way even without a King to bind itself too, but under the combined force of their red, he felt it retreating until he could barely feel it.

   Anna had felt the battle as well, and it was only when she was sure that it was as smothered as they were going to get it at the moment that she slowly began to withdraw her aura. Realising that Misaki’s arms had crept around her at some point and that his face was buried against her as he sobbed. As her power faded away completely she tilted her head so that she could press a chaste kiss to his cheek, trembling slightly as she let her head rest against his once more. In all honesty, a small part of her had been terrified that her red would find him wanting, not because she doubted him, but because he doubted himself, but his red had remembered who he really was. She knew that it wasn’t going to be that simple that there was still a long way to go until he could come back properly, if he ever could, but it had been a step forward, and there were tears of relief on her cheeks as she whispered softly.

“I told you that you were still HOMRA…”


	31. Chapter 31

Two days later:

   Anna was virtually vibrating with excitement as she waited for Izumo to finish getting ready to leave. Today was finally the day. Misaki was finally being released from the hospital, and although she knew that he still had a fair way to go with his recovery, it was a much-needed step forward. They still hadn’t got an answer as to where he wanted to go when he was released, but she had a feeling that was because he honestly didn’t know, rather than an attempt to shut them out. He had been a little more open with all of them since their talk a couple of days ago.  Although at times she could see him retreating once more if the conversation drifted too close to uncomfortable topics or memories were too near the surface, but he was trying, and she could feel his red growing little by little with each attempt at reaching out.

“What happened between the two of you?” The quiet question made her turn her head to look at Fushimi who was sat next to her, his crutches perched beside him. He had insisted on going with them to collect Misaki, wanting to make sure that the Crow knew all his options and to provide a united front. _He’s worried in other words,_ Anna thought with a smile, catching the way his fingers were tapping against his knee. It was something he had always done when he was worried about something, or rather someone, she amended remembering watching the surly teen when they were waiting for Misaki to come back from jobs. A small smile tugged at her lips at the memory, relieved that not everything had changed, before turning more serious as she contemplated his question. She hadn’t really explained what had happened that day, both out of worry that people would expect too much from Misaki and because it felt private, like something that should be kept between the two of them. “Anna?”

“He…” She hesitated for a moment, still reluctant to say it aloud especially now that she realised that the others were listening as well and even Izumo had paused in his preparations. Still, maybe they needed to know…needed to realise just how far Misaki had been willing to go to atone for something he had never needed to atone for in the first place. “He asked me to remove his red…”

“What?!” Kamamoto demanded, speaking up for the first time because despite Misaki’s steps forwards things were still strained and awkward between the two of them. However, while he was the most vocal in his shock, the others were muttering amongst themselves, darkness evident in their expressions and she knew that it was a good thing that JUNGLE had disbanded otherwise there would be more fighting, and she wasn’t sure that she would have been able to or willing to try and stop them. “Yata….”

“He thought that he didn’t deserve it,” Anna added softly, her pained expression matching theirs as she glanced down at her hands, remembering how her aura had swept through him. “I…my red tested him.” She felt Saruhiko tensing at that, and she shot him a reassuring glance, well aware that he didn’t have fond memories of his own testing back with Mikoto. However, she was relieved to see that he seemed to be more worried about what had happened with Misaki than on past issues, and her lips curled into a warm smile as she added strongly. “He is still HOMRA. We couldn’t completely remove the taint of Nagare’s aura, but it was pushed back. His red was still there, I think he just needed to be shown that and to be told that he was still HOMRA.”

“Of course he is,” Fushimi muttered under his breath, unable to hide his relief. He had learnt enough by now to realise that Misaki needed HOMRA just as much as he needed their friendship, and there was none of his old bitterness in his words. He had been alarmed at first at the thought of Misaki being tested, unable to forget how it had felt to face Mikoto’s flames, and well aware that Misaki was still inching towards recovery and if it had gone wrong…he shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. _With those two it was never going to go wrong…_

“Then let us go and bring our vanguard home,” Kusanagi said with a smile as he finally moved to join them, and Anna was pleased to see him looking happier than he had in a long time, knowing that she was just the same. She watched with amusement as he helped a grumpy Fushimi to his feet, the Blue irritably swatting at the helping hands as he retrieved his crutches, although he muttered a quiet ‘thank you’ when the older man steadied him when he nearly lost his balance.

“We’ll be back soon,” she said turning to look at the others, seeing them looking a little jealous as the three of them headed towards the door. It had taken a couple of hours the night before to convince them that they couldn’t all descend on the hospital to collect Misaki, and not just because the hospital probably wouldn’t appreciate it. But because she knew that this was going to be difficult enough for her vanguard as it was, and she didn’t want to risk anything that might send him back into the shell that he had only just started to creep out of. Eventually, they had agreed when they realised her reasoning, but she knew that they would probably need to be reminded of that fact when Misaki was actually in front of them, but she was confident that Kusanagi would easily keep them in line. And she couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she glanced back, taking in the waiting HOMRA members and the repaired bar, her gaze moving to the photos on the wall for a moment.

_Misaki, we’re finally bringing you home…._

****

   Yata wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about being released from the hospital. On the one hand, he was relieved to be getting away from the constant prodding and poking, and worried looks from the doctors and nurses. Still unsure what they had been told about what had happened to him, and unwilling to ask just how much they knew. However, on the other hand, he wasn’t sure what waited for him beyond the confines of the hospital. The others had talked to him about what he wanted to do, but in all honesty, he didn’t have a clue, especially now that his release was looming in front of him. His memories of home…both his tiny flat and the bar had been tainted, his stomach churning at the thought of going back to either, and while he had heard Fushimi mention that he could stay with him, he didn’t want to be a burden. _Why the hell is everything so difficult now?_ He thought with a sigh as he rolled over to glance at the clock, blinking as he realised that the others would be here soon as he had been laid there lost in his thoughts for longer than intended.

_I have to try._

   His hands curled into fists at his side, his eyes slipping closed for a moment as he recalled the feeling of Anna’s aura washing through him…the warmth of her judgement…the warmth at the thought that even after everything he was HOMRA. Deep down he still wasn’t sure that was right, but he couldn’t help but cling to it, needing to believe it, even as he found himself continually checking that the green was still locked away beneath the red _. I am HOMRA…I am HOMRA_ , it was a mantra in his head, a weak charm against the memories and doubts that were still assaulting him and with a sigh he opened his eyes once more and sat up. He wanted to be ready when they arrived, his eyes moving towards the bag they had brought him, a lump forming in his throat at the thought of being able to wear his own clothes again. It was a silly thing, but it had been a ridiculously long time, and with a sniffle he slid off the bed and padded across to the bag, hesitating for a moment as he reached in and fished out some clothes before heading for the bathroom.

_I’m going…home…_

   In the bathroom he happily stripped out of the hospital gown, wondering why on earth they thought it was a good idea to make patients wear such a horrendous thing. He was about to just yank on the clothes when something made him pause and look at the mirror, swallowing thickly as he got a good look at his reflection, something that he had avoided doing as much as possible. There was more colour in his face now, and a hint of life in his eyes, but as he stared at himself, he couldn’t see any trace of the person he had been. And he wondered yet again how Anna and the others could look at him and claim that he was still their Misaki.

 _I think he died_ ….

    He closed his eyes for a second, before reopening them and glancing down at his chest, he was still bandaged but more lightly than before, and he knew that he was going to have more scars to match the one that Y…he had given him back in the tower.

_I’m never going to be free of everything that happened…_

   He was about to get dressed, not wanting to look at the evidence of what he had been through or the way his body still showed the evidence of malnutrition when he froze, spotting something new in the middle of his chest, partially hidden by the bandages. With trembling fingers, he reached up and pulled the material aside, just enough to reveal the full extent of the mark and his breath caught as he realised what it was. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe past the lump that had risen in his throat as he stared wide-eyed at his reflection _. It can’t be_... His fingers were shaking even more than before as he ghosted over the mark, his eyes stinging fiercely as tears spilled down his cheeks. He was unaware of his legs giving way beneath him and sending him to the floor with a dull thud, at least until there was an urgent knock on the bathroom door a few seconds later followed by a worried voice.

“Misaki?” It was Anna he realised after a moment, and he swallowed, trying to get his voice to work so that he could reply so that she wouldn’t worry too much. But the words wouldn’t come, tears streaking down his cheeks as he stared down at where his hand had curled into a fist against his chest. “What is it? Are you okay?”

“I….” He tried to reply…he really did…but there was too much stirring in his chest, and he shook his head helplessly, the words getting stuck once more. “I…” 

   The door opened a moment later, and he shrank in on himself, not wanting Anna to see him like this, and it took him a moment to realise that it was Kusanagi who had stepped into the room. The older man taking a quick look at him before quickly closing the door behind him and Yata huffed out a sigh of relief. It was humiliating being like this in front of Kusanagi, but it was better than Anna walking in on him sitting in a crumpled heap on the bathroom floor in nothing more than his boxers. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to look at the other man, his gaze fixated on the floor as Kusanagi closed the distance between them before dropping down beside him.

“Yata-chan?” There was a cautious edge to the question that the older man had never once used with him in the past, and for a moment irritation flared. _Was he that broken that they thought the slightest word could make him fall apart? You are,_ a small voice told him coldly, and he shuddered, his fingers curling against his chest and he flinched when Kusanagi reached out to grab his hand, no doubt fearing that he was attacking his scarred mark once more. “Yata don’t do…” He trailed off, and Yata knew that the older man had just spotted what had sent him crashing to his knees in the first place, and finally he lifted his head to peer up at the blond.

“It’s r-really there isn’t it?”

“Yes…” Kusanagi said softly, hearing the uncertainty and hope in the quiet whisper, his fingers tightening around Yata’s as he stared at the new HOMRA mark adorning the vanguard’s chest. He knew that Anna had said that she had tested the teen, but he hadn’t expected this, and he wondered if she knew what had happened. It was the HOMRA insignia, but it was framed by a pair of wings, and he swallowed hard at the sight. No wonder the teen had ended up in this state. “It’s really there…”

“I…” Yata had no idea what he was trying to say, trailing off with a helpless shake of his head before abruptly flinging himself at the older man with a broken sob. He was relieved when Kusanagi merely wrapped his arms around him in response, not sure that he could handle anything else at the moment, the complicated storm of happiness, disbelief and fear whirling in his chest leaving him overwhelmed.

*

   Kusanagi had been stunned when Yata had reached out to him for comfort, but there was no way he was going to push him away, not now they had reached the point where the vanguard was willing to reach out to them for help. He could feel the tremors wracking Yata’s body, and he tightened his hold, unable to imagine how much of a shock it must’ve been for the vanguard to spot the mark, especially as he was still adapting to the fact that he was still part of HOMRA. There was a hint of sadness at the thought that Yata no longer bore the mark that Mikoto had given him, but in a way, it was better this way. The bond between Yata and Anna was completely different to the one the vanguard had formed with their previous King, and the teen who had followed Mikoto so willingly and blindly was long gone. _I just hope this is the mark of a new beginning…_

   They stayed like that for nearly ten minutes, and he was amazed that Fushimi and Anna hadn’t burst in them already as they had both been frantic when they’d stepped into the hospital room just in time to hear the thud from the bathroom. Eventually, he could feel the tremors beginning to ease, and he carefully loosened his grip when Yata started to pull back, determined not to make him feel trapped in any way, and he was rewarded by the faintest of smiles when Yata peered up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

“Thank you…”

“You’re welcome,” Kusanagi replied, knowing better than to make a big deal of it and instead he rose stiffly to his feet before holding a hand out to the teen. “Come on, let’s get you home.” There was a mix of pain and longing in the hazel eyes that eyed his hand warily for a moment, but then Yata’s hand slipped slowly into his, allowing the older man to lift him to his feet. Once he was sure that Yata wasn’t going to slump again, well aware that Yata was still less steady on his feet than he had been pretending to be, he turned away to give him a semblance of privacy as Misaki reached out to grab his clothes. Part of him longed to help, but he knew that now more than ever it was important to let Yata begin to reclaim his independence and so he stayed facing away, worrying at his bottom lip as he heard a couple of soft noises of pain from the teen.

   Yata for his part was overwhelmingly grateful that the older man hadn’t insisted on helping, embarrassment setting in now as he realised that he had been clinging to Kusanagi while barely wearing anything and he fumbled in his haste to yank on his clothes. There was a dull ache in his chest as his gaze flickered towards the mirror once he was dressed. It was the same clothes that he had worn for so long, and yet it felt like he was looking at a complete stranger, and he blinked back fresh tears as he turned to look at Kusanagi. _Can I really do this?_ The doubts were surging up once more, but this time rather than reaching to scratch at his destroyed mark, he found his fingers brushing against the new one and he swallowed thickly as he gathered his courage before reaching out to grab Kusanagi’s elbow.

“I…I’m ready to go h-home.”


	32. Chapter 32

   Fushimi worried at his bottom lip as he glanced at Misaki who was huddled into himself against the far door despite the obvious discomfort that position was causing him. His gaze was fixated on the window although the Blue was willing to bet a years’ salary that the vanguard wasn’t seeing anything in front of his eyes. He wanted to say something or do something, but right now he had no idea what was going through Misaki’s mind. As he glanced towards the front of the car he caught Kusanagi watching them both in the rear-view mirror, and he caught the warning shake of his head, although the older man’s eyes narrowed as they shifted across to Misaki. The vanguard hadn’t said a word since they’d climbed in the car, and they were all worried about what was bothering him, and what could be running through his mind right now.

   He hated it. He hated the uncertainty, the thought of doing something that might set back Misaki’s recovery again… the fear of being the one to make things worse. What made it worse was the for a brief moment they had been allowed the most fleeting glimpse of the old Misaki back in the hospital room, barely more than half an hour before…

   _Fushimi had been forced to rest against the bed, his leg protesting from standing too long. Otherwise, he would have joined Anna in her anxious pacing outside the bathroom door. Neither of them were happy with just leaving the matter to Kusanagi, even though they knew that he was more than capable of handling Yata and that the vanguard listened to him even now. Still, it was a constant battle to stop themselves from giving in to the temptation to just burst into the other room, and they both froze when they finally heard movement on the other side of the door, their gazes fixated on the sight of the handle turning. Kusanagi was the first to emerge, his expression unreadable which did little to reassure them after the sound of Yata falling earlier and the silence that had followed. But then he stepped out of the way, letting them see Misaki who was hovering nervously just inside the doorway._

   _It was painful, seeing him stood there dressed in his usual clothes because at a quick glance it looked like he was back too normal. That it was the Yata from before all of this unless you looked at his face or the trembling hands which had twisted into the bottom of his shirt._

_“Misaki…” Anna was the first to break the silence,  moving forward with a soft smile and while Yata had flinched at the sudden sound of his name, he made no move to escape when she approached him. Only watching with wary eyes as she reached out to grasp his hand, gently tugging it away from his shirt and holding it tightly. “Are you ready to go?” Fushimi blinked at that question, and Misaki looked no less surprised. She wasn’t going to demand to know what had happened? Although as the blue took in the redness surrounding Misaki’s eyes, he had to admit that was probably a wise decision. Instead, he refocused on the vanguard, seeing the uncertainty and fear that they were still a long way away from banishing completely and he held his breath as Misaki’s gaze flickered between the three of them before he looked back at Anna._

_“I…think so.”_

_“Misaki has something to tell you too,” Kusanagi added quietly, offering the vanguard a reassuring smile when he glanced at him with frightened eyes and Fushimi had wanted to growl at him. Any confidence that had existed a second before when Misaki had said that he was ready to go home had disappeared in an instant, and he got an impression that Misaki was contemplating whether or not he could get away with just turning around and bolting back to the bathroom._ _Fushimi opened his mouth, unsure of whether he was going to try tearing a strip of Kusanagi or reassuring Misaki, but before he could get anything out, the vanguard had taken a shuddering breath and reached up with his free hand to pull down the collar of his shirt. For a wild moment Fushimi half expected to see the old HOMRA mark, overwhelmed with the memories of Misaki doing the exact same thing whenever he wanted to show off his clan mark,  or when he wanted to try and remind Fushimi of what they were, and what he had thrown away. Cursing himself when he remembered that mark was long gone, his own itching in sympathy, but then he heard Anna’s gasp, and he focused, feeling his breath catching as he finally spotted what Kusanagi had been on about._

  _It was partially obscured by bandages, but there was the HOMRA mark standing out proudly against too-pale skin. Placed precisely where it should have been, over the heart that deep down would always belong to the Red Clan. In the past, Fushimi would have snarled to see it there. To see that it had come back to pull Misaki away from him, but now he felt a small smile creeping across his face, catching the way Misaki’s fingers brushed gently against the mark and the spark in the hazel eyes. He had noticed the differences as well, and maybe that was why it was easier to accept because this was Anna’s mark. A King who had proven again and again how much she cared for Misaki, and he hobbled forward a couple of steps, not missing the way everyone was watching him and waiting for his reaction._

_“It’s back where it belongs,” he said softly, coming to a halt a short distance away, refusing to be the one to scare Misaki. The vanguard blinked at his words, glancing down at the HOMRA mark before glancing back at him and they were all stunned when there was the faintest twitch of pale lips, the almost-smile bringing a flicker of life to Yata’s eyes that had been missing for far too long…_

   _He smiled._ Fushimi was startled to realise that he had closed his eyes, and he blinked, immediately turning his attention back to Misaki and biting back a sigh as he realised the vanguard was still staring blankly out the window. _Why couldn’t it stay like that?_ He knew that it was unfair to think like that, and he sternly pushed that thought to the back of his mind. Of course, it couldn’t stay like that. Too much had happened, and there was still too much resolve for things to be fixed that easily. Hell even leaving the hospital hadn’t been as easy as he had hoped, it had been nearly half an hour after Misaki had shown them the new HOMRA mark, that they’d finally been able to herd the unresisting vanguard out of the hospital. While he was recovered enough to leave, there was still a seemingly endless list of things they needed to watch for, medicines to take and appointments to keep and Fushimi had never been so relieved for Kusanagi’s presence as he had been then because it had all gone over his head.

   All he had been able to focus on was Misaki who was whispering …awkwardly with Anna…and it had taken him longer than it should have to realise that she was trying to get him to decide where he wanted to go, and he was stunned to hear her mentioning his place an option in a completely neutral tone. It wasn’t that she had rejected the idea before, but he knew how much she wanted Misaki home, and he glanced off to the side as crimson eyes met his for a moment, a knowing smile flicking over her face before she refocused on Misaki. The doctor had just been leaving when the vanguard had finally spoken up, voice trembling slightly although there was a glint of determination in his eyes as he glanced around at them.

“I want to go h-home…to HOMRA.”

   Fushimi bit back a sigh. That determination had faded the moment they had left the hospital, and he had a feeling that it was only now hitting Misaki that he really was going home and that he was going to have to face everything that he’d been able to put off in the hospital. He hesitated for a moment because he didn’t want to discourage Yata, not when he had made a decision to move forward. But he also couldn’t ignore the lost expression on Misaki’s face, and catching Anna’s approving nod in the mirror, he reached out and cautiously rested his hand on Misaki’s shoulder. The vanguard jolted violently at the touch, and for a split, second sparks skittered across his skin and Fushimi was relieved to see that they were crimson before Misaki managed to get them back under control as he glanced at Fushimi with wide eyes.

“Misaki…”

“I have to do this…” Misaki cut him off, voice barely above a whisper and Fushimi sighed. He could hear the fear and the uncertainty, but before he could say anything else the vanguard had turned his gaze back to the window, although he made no attempt to shake off the blue’s hand. Fushimi gritted his teeth, in the past, he would have shaken the stubborn idiot or shouted at him,  but now he found himself just squeezing lightly, before turning his own gaze out the window as he realised that they were only a few minutes away from the bar.

_I just hope it doesn’t break you…_

**

   Kamamoto had found it impossible to settle after Anna and Kusanagi had left to pick up Yata. His nerves over the vanguard coming back and his fear that they would never be able to go back to the easy friendship they’d once had, now made worse by the conversation they’d had earlier. _Yata really thought about giving up his red? But he is HOMRA…he’s always been HOMRA._ There had been times when Kamamoto had found himself questioning why he was part of the Red Clan, and what Mikoto had seen in him because while he could fight as well as the others, he lacked the hunger for battle that most of them seemed to have. But Yata…the vanguard had always been there, shining nearly as brightly as their King, never letting their spirits waver even if he was being an idiot at the time, and the thought of him being ready to throw that away…

“Kamamoto you need to calm down,” Shōhei’s voice broke into his whirling thoughts, and he turned to realise that the others were watching him pace with worried eyes. “Yata will be home soon.” He said it as though it was really that simple. As though having the vanguard walk through the door would make everything all right, and Kamamoto was torn between growling at him and desperately wanting to believe him, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t forget the green rushing towards him in front of the tower, his desperate words falling on deaf ears. He couldn’t forget the fact that Misaki could still barely look at him, let alone speak to him…and he couldn’t forgive himself for the fact that he hadn’t been able to stop the vanguard being taken in the first place.

“I can’t,” he whispered, hands clenching at his side as he turned away from them. “I can’t calm down, not until…” _Not until I’ve apologised for not being able to protect him. Until he’s forgiven me or told me that he doesn’t want to be friends…_ In the past, that last thought would have been enough to break him, especially as he knew that there was a chance that it could happen, but now…now he would take the vanguard being home and safe, over their friendship.

_But still, Yata-san…_

_I miss you…_

**

  Misaki blinked as the bar came into view, finally coming out of his thoughts as his breath hitched at the sight of the familiar sign hanging over the door. _How long has it been?_ It felt like a lifetime since he had last been here, and a shudder went through him as he remembered everything that had happened back then. Squeezing his eyes shut as the memory washed over him…it had been destroyed…JUNGLE had willingly torn it apart just to get to him. _And I joined them_. The reminder of his wrongdoing made him squeeze his eyes tighter, guilt churning in his stomach and his hand crept up, ghosting over the new mark on his chest. He was about to claw at the old mark when the warm hand moved from his shoulder to grab his hand, tightening in warning as it pulled his away from the wound and he opened his eyes to find Fushimi staring at him with worried eyes.

“Saru…”

“Misaki…?” Fushimi asked softly, trying to sound as encouraging as possible as he saw the confusion beneath the guilt, the anguish, tightening his grasp as he felt Misaki trying to pull his hand free as though to go for his scar again. _No, I won’t let you hurt yourself anymore_. Yata blinked at him as he felt the tightening hold, he hadn’t even realised that he was doing it again and he paled. _Would he ever be able to stop doing that?_ Even though he had Anna’s mark now, even though he had proof that while he had abandoned HOMRA…HOMRA wasn’t willing to let him go. A shudder went through him when Yukari’s voice rang through his mind, much clearer than it had for days. _Can you betray those who have already betrayed you…?_ He could feel bile rising in the back of his throat, his stomach twisting itself in unpleasant notes and he turned his gaze back to the bar, trying to focus on the here and now, his gaze locked on the sign that was swinging slightly in the breeze.

“It’s…not….” His voice wasn’t working properly anymore, not with the memories of Yukari and what had happened to the bar so close to the surface.

“No,” Anna smiled in understanding, although there was sadness behind it. He hadn’t even had a chance to see the real extent of the damage the bar had suffered, something she was immensely grateful for, but even without that, it was clear that what he had seen had left him shaken. “Everyone has been working hard to repair it, we wanted it ready for when you came home.”

“For me?” The sheer amount of doubt in that simple question floored them all, and Misaki took advantage of the situation to rip his hand free of Fushimi’s, huddling in on himself and wrapping his arms around himself. _I want to go home to HOMRA. I have to do this._ He had managed to say that, hell he had even meant it when the words had left his mouth, but faced with this…faced with the reality of stepping back into the bar that had been destroyed just because of him. That everyone had worked so hard to repair just for him. It was too much, and he felt his eyes beginning to sting fiercely, and he ducked his head to try and hide it. “I…”

_I don’t understand…_

“We promised to bring you home,” Kusanagi spoke up in a soft voice, and there was something in his voice that made Yata glance up at him, remembering their conversation back at the hospital and trusting the older man not to lie to him. “It took us longer than we wanted, and you had to go through far more than anyone should have had to go through.” _No,_ Misaki wanted to shake his head. He had made his choices independent of them, he was the one who had lost faith…if he hadn’t…

“If you hadn’t surrendered they would’ve killed you,” Fushimi had caught the emotion flickering in the hazel eyes, and he was determined to put a stop to that straight away. “You would’ve died in that place, and we wouldn’t be sat here. We wouldn’t be able to bring you home.”

“Besides, you now know you’re still HOMRA,” Anna added softly, letting her aura flare slightly and Misaki shivered as he felt it enveloping him, soothing some of his panic although it wasn’t enough to banish it entirely.

“I know…” _But…_

“We’re not expecting you to believe it straight away,” Kusanagi had taken over again, twisted around in the driver’s seat so that he could Yata’s gaze directly. “You have all the time in the world now to find your way back to where you want to be.”

“I…I…” _But where do I want to be_? Yata’s gaze turned back to the bar once more, letting his eyes wander over the once familiar building, dismayed to realise that the warmth. The feeling of belonging that he had associated with the place, even in the months when he had been on his own before Anna had become their new King was gone, and he closed his eyes. _What if it isn’t here?_

“Take your time,” Anna said softly, seeing the conflict in his gaze and guessing where his thoughts had taken him. It broke her heart to think that the bar might no longer feel like home to her crow, but she wouldn’t stop him from leaving if that was what was best for him. She had failed him too much already even if he didn’t see it that way. “You have other choices, and if you want something completely different, then we will support you.” _No matter what…_

    _They’re trying so hard,_ Misaki thought in awe, still unable to fully believe that they were so willing to write off what he had done as a member of JUNGLE. Or even the fact that he had allowed himself to give in to Yukari at all, and he squeezed his eyes shut. _What do I want to do?_ He wanted to give them a proper answer. Hell, he wanted a proper answer, fed up of the uncertainty clouding his own thoughts and his hands slowly crept up to his new HOMRA mark. Anna had already given him back his home, even if didn’t feel like he deserved it and slowly he reopened his eyes and deliberately focused on her, and the warmth of her aura which was still encompassing him.

“I don’t know what I want…” He admitted softly, hating himself for saying it aloud as he caught the pain in their expressions, but he felt a little of the weight rising from his chest as he said it and he glanced back at the bar as he added reluctantly. “I don’t know anything anymore…”

“Misaki…”

“But…” Yata cut her off, meeting her gaze once more and drawing in a deep breath as he tried to gather his courage, aware that he could end up regretting this decision, and stunned when his voice came out relatively even. “I want to try…going in.” Anna held his gaze for a moment, searching for something that only she seemed to know but after a moment she nodded, a warm smile breaking onto her face before she turned away and reached for her door handle. Relieved that she wasn’t going to question his resolve because, in all honesty, he wasn’t sure that it could stand up to anything right now, he turned and slowly reached for his own door handle.

_I can do this…I have to do this. Otherwise, nothing is going to change…_

**

   The members gathered inside had heard the car draw up outside nearly ten minutes before, Dewa glancing out the window to confirm that it was Kusanagi and the others. But as time passed with no sign of anyone moving, they all became more restless and eventually Kamamoto had moved to block the door, correctly sensing that some of the more headstrong members were moments away from bursting out of the door to find out what was going on.

“I thought you were more eager to see him that the rest of us?” Dewa demanded, glowering at the stockier man who merely stared at him impassively for a minute before glancing down, hands curling into fists at his sides.

“I am…” He whispered, unable to bring himself to look at them as he had softly. “But, what I want… what any of us want is irrelevant right now…”

“But…”

“Yata-san has done more than anyone for HOMRA! He suffered because we weren’t strong enough to return the favour…” Kamamoto shouted, irritation and concern warring from control as he glared around at them, barely aware of the faint crimson that was no surrounding him. “So now all we can do is wait to see what he wants, and do everything in our power to help him!” It took him a moment to register two things. Firstly that a stunned silence had fallen at his outburst, after all before all this had happened, he had been one of the more level-headed members of their clan, and two that the door had just clicked shut behind him. And from the wide-eyed looks of the others he knew exactly who it was and he wanted to curse. Here he was trying desperately to make the others realise they had to make life easier for Yata, only for the vanguard to walk in on him running off his mouth. However, his thoughts skidded to a halt when a familiar voice rang out, and his own eyes widened…

“K…amamoto?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the rewritten/edited chapters. New updates will resume in the New Year :D


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